Yo, people. Scrap here. Got room for another chapter? Good, because I got one for ya. This one focuses on Saria, the second Sage. She's cool, huh? I had fun writing her. Imagine, if you will, a wise ten year old. That's her! Good job! Now write two and a half thousand words about her! Anyway, enjoy! Let me know if you have any criticisms!
Saria, Sage of the Forest
"There he goes..." Saria whispered to herself as she watched her childhood friend Link fade away in a beam of light. He was on his way to find the other sages, she supposed. She wished she could talk to him more. After seven long years, she missed him.
Her job was done. Link ha retrieved the Forest Medallion that she had to bestow and now he was gone, just like seven years ago when he first left the forest.
Seven years ago... That was quite a while ago! Link had definitely aged in that time. He was much bigger and looked so serious! She looked down at herself. The same child she'd always been. She knew he wasn't Kokiri, like her, so she wasn't surprised that he had grown. But she was a bit taken aback. She'd never actually... Seen someone grow up from a child like that.
To be honest he looked a little goofy in tights.
She laughed. He'd grown, but something about him told her she was still the same old Link. Still, she wondered what she would look like if she could age like him. The Kokiri were people of the forest. They were born from it, and one day, they simply faded back into it. They would always be children. But if she was a Hylian, she would be a young woman. Now what would Link think of that, she wondered. When he was still a child, Saria had a little bit of a crush on him. Then he disappeared for seven years and the forest got over run for with terrible monsters! She didn't think about Link in that time, she had much too much to think about! But seeing him as a young man brought back that nostalgic feeling, like he had never left. When they saw each other, their faces lit up like they had everyday seven years ago.
Now, Saria was no longer quite as infatuated with Link as she had been long ago. Still, she couldn't help but notice he had become quite handsome over the years. If he had been born a Kokiri, she might still have those affections. Then again, he probably wouldn't have left on a journey seven years ago! She wondered how different things might have been. If Saria was born a Hylian like Link, that would make her a pretty young woman by now. She tried to imagine what this might look like, but simply couldn't. She had no idea what a 'woman' looked like, as women did not enter the forest. In fact, no adults did. Link had been the first real live adult Saria had ever seen in person.
She was so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed the strange old man sitting asleep on the next pedestal over. When she did, she was given quite a start. At first she was confused.
"Who's this?" She asked herself. She thought she was the first sage to be rescued. So then, she wondered, who was this old guy?
"Did Link rescue this guy before me?" She folded her arms with a huff. "Rude!" Her high voice squeaked and echoed through the chamber. As if in response, the robed, sleeping figure shifted. His head nodded and tilted to one side, and his mouth fell open. Saria thought he looked a bit like the Deku Tree before it met it's unfortunate fate.
She was curious now. She had never seen an elderly person before. She found the whole sight somewhat unfortunate, or perhaps even disastrous.
"That's what Link is going to look like someday? Yuck!" Imagining her good friend as such a wrinkled, fat form made her grimace. She hopped off her pedestal and stepped over to his, kneeling next to the sleeping man. He looked even more raggedy up close, but his robes told a different story. They were luxuriant, like a gigantic blanket made of the finest materials. They were embroidered with all sorts of designs and features. He looked so comfortable.
"Excuse me." Saria said softly. She hoped to wake him from his sleep. Maybe he was better company than he looked. The old man did not wake, however, he simply snored deeply.
Saria sighed and gave him a shake. "Hey! Listen!"
The old man jumped awake with a start. Saria knew that would work. It usually got people to pay attention. The old man looked around drearily, before settling his gaze on the girl in front of him. With a deep grumbling moan, he rose to his feet, towering above her head.
Then he looked down at her. She waited for him to say something, but he just stared through narrow, angry looking eyes. She figured maybe older people were slower, as he took quite a while to speak. When he did, it was a simple observation.
"You're but a child! You can't be older than eight!" His voice was deep and guttural, but slow. His words were precise and hard spoken. He sounded as if he had spent his entire life hard at work. Not like the Deku Tree at all in this regard, Saria noted. The Deku Tree spoke softly and calmly, like the wind through the forest.
"How could you be a sage when you have such youth? What could you possibly know of the events that have transpired in our kingdom?" He looked upset, even offended at her presence. Saria was a little hurt, in fact. She refused to be attacked in such a way for nothing. She folded her arms and walked back to her pedestal.
"I may look like a child," she said pointedly," but I'm older than eight by a lot!" She refused to elucidate on the point. If he was such a 'wise sage', Saria figured he could work the rest out for himself. She refused to make eye contact with this such an arrogant old fool.
"Hm..." The old man looked at her, observing her outfit, brows knitted in annoyance. "You're Kokiri, judging from your clothes. Then I will admit to my mistake, you are likely much older than you look. That said," Saria turned to meet the man's glare. "You behave like the little girl you appear to be. Surely, even a forest child knows to respect her elders. And I promise you, no matter how old you are in actuality, I am your elder."
The man glared at her, waiting for an apology. Saria narrowed her eyes at him. "If you're waiting for 'I'm sorry.' You'll be waiting quite a while. I can't respect someone that doesn't respect me."
She folded her arms and smiled smugly. She knew that had gotten to him. Maybe the man had a long, storied past. Maybe he was a veteran of war, or a genius chronicler of the ages. Whatever he had been before didn't matter here, though. Here, in this realm, at this moment, he was a sage, just like Saria. They were equals.
The man's mouth dropped in shock. He looked as though he had just been slapped in the face. He cleared his throat and regained his composure. With a furrowed brow, he stayed silent for a moment or two. Saria knew she had gotten through to him.
"Hm. You raise a fair point." He twirled the hair of his mustache thoughtfully. "You're far more mature than I first realized, it seems. Very well, it wouldn't be the first time I've had to swallow my pride. I apologize for my behavior."
Saria contemplated this response. He sure sounded genuine, at least. She was still annoyed, and she could see he was as well, but if they were going to be here for long, they'd have to make up. "You know, we're equal here, right? We're both Sages, and we're on the same side. You can't be so grumpy."
The man's eye twitched in frustration. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Yes, I suppose you're right. I should have considered the impact of my words before I spoke."
He was red in the face. Saria had clearly humiliated the poor soul. She felt a bit guilty for that.
"However," he continued, "you must see things from my perspective. I'm simply worried for the Kingdom. You're but a child, or at least, I thought you were. Being a sage is not child's play, after all. I... Suppose I was worried you wouldn't understand what's at stake." He exhaled sharply, causing the hairs on his mustache to quiver.
Saria found that to be extremely ignorant. She was surprised he didn't know of the terrible events that had transpired in the forest. How it had been twisted into a dreary wood, infested with monsters. Upon further thought, though, she realized that she was The Sage of the Forest for a reason. She knew of the affairs of the Forest better than anyone else. It was no wonder He didn't know, he was probably concerned with the turmoil in his home province, and even if he had tried to visit the forest, adults such as him were almost never permitted to step foot in the forest. Those adults that made the terrible mistake of venturing into her forest would get lost and devoured by the forest, so it was really for the best that they were forbidden from entering.
Saria sighed when she thought of the forest. She dreaded explaining the fate of her home to her fellow sage, but she knew she would have to eventually. She hoped they were on better terms by then, because she would likely need a hug.
"It's okay," she began, "I forgive you. You were just... Being old, I think." She smiled at him. "I'm Saria, Sage of the Forest. Pretty nice title, I'd say." She giggled, hopped back over to him, and held out her hand in friendly introduction.
"Hm." Rauru laughed to himself slowly. "Yes, Sage of the Forest. Certainly, it is a worthy title. I am Rauru, Sage of Light." He kneeled cautiously and shook her hand. His hand felt rough and callous, like old leather. "It is... An appropriate title for me, I think."
They stood in silence for a bit, searching for the next part of their conversation. There was a lot to discuss, and very few appropriate starting points. Saria knew this man must have known Link. Perhaps he knew where Link had been for these long seven years. She decided that would be the best place to start.
"Rauru..." She started hesitantly, "You know Link, right?"
Rauru snapped to attention. "Ah yes, the young hero. Quite a remarkable young man. I wonder how he's fairs." Rauru stroked his chin in thought. "There is no way of telling time in this place, but if my arithmetic is correct, and if I may trust my gut, I'd say it's been nearly one week since I woke him and arrived here. He's making good time."
This was all news to Saria. What did he mean by 'woke him'? Exactly what had gone on one week ago? Saria looked at him, confused. She searched for the right phrasing, but Rauru raised his hand to hush her.
"You're confused, I see. That's okay," he smiled, "I don't expect you to know what I'm referring to."
He rubbed his hands together, looking thoughtful. "Seven years ago, young Link drew the blade of evil's bane, the Master Sword, with the intention of ridding the world of the Demon King, Ganondorf." His tone soured when he mentioned that name.
"But he was much too small. A young boy like him, though brave, could barely swing the blade, let alone use it against Ganondorf. He simply was not ready. So I sealed him away until he was grown. For seven long, agonizing years, the kingdom went without protection. Ganondorf saw the hero's absence as an opportunity to strike. He wormed his way into the sacred realm, and dared to lay his wicked hands on the Triforce. He was only able to obtain one third, but with it's insane power, he had no trouble conquering Hyrule." Rauru looked disgusted. "A necessary sacrifice, I'm afraid. One week ago, I woke Link from his slumber and sent him on his quest to locate the other sages. He had grown to be a fine young man, although he still had the heart and mind of the child he had been. My role fulfilled, I retreated to this chamber, to await the day I would be called upon again. Soon, I, along with you and the other four sages, will deal the final blow to Ganondorf, and seal him away. At least, that is the intention." The old man's dry lips smacked in thought. "Now there is hope for a future. One of peace for Hyrule. I pray that Link succeeds." Rauru finished his story and sighed. He looked troubled. Saria could tell he was weary from fretting over the insanity that consumed the Kingdom. Perhaps the inactivity was painful for him. Saria knew she'd rather be out there, assisting Link more directly. She wondered if Rauru felt the same.
The old man's gaze drifted to Saria. He smiled at her warmly. It was a sort of comforting smile that made his wrinkles all the more visible. Saria wondered if it was how 'grandparents' acted.
"You must mean a great deal to him if he came to find you first, you know. We're you two close as children?" Rauru laughed. Saria did not return his amusement, but she did blush. So Link had come for her first! She knew he wouldn't leave her in danger. He hadn't changed at all in all these years.
"We were very close, yes." He cheeks were rosy as she fondly remembered her friendship with Link. "He was a total outcast. All the others picked on him all the time! He never came out of his hut, and he never said a word to anyone." She frowned. "I felt awful for him. I had never known the other Kokiri to be so cruel, especially to one of their own! So I stood up for him in front of all the other Kokiri. Everyone was really surprised, even Link! Since that day, we've been best friends. He still never spoke to anyone, but at least he was a bit more cheery." She smiled. It had been a long time since she told anyone that story. It was simple, yes, but the day she befriended Link was one of her most precious memories.
"When do you think we'll be allowed to leave?" She inquired. She wanted to get back to the forest and fix everything that Ganondorf had broken. It was her job as the leader of the Kokiri, after all. Technically, Mido, a different forest child, was leader, but he was totally incompetent, so Saria had taken up the role herself. She was much better at it.
"Hm." Rauru thought to himself for a moment. "It depends on Link, really. At this rate? Several weeks, at least. It's not as bad as it seems, though. The time will fly by, I'm sure." Saria frowned at this. She wasn't sure she could handle weeks of sitting in here, waiting for something to do. She took a seat on her pedestal and sighed. She didn't have much of a choice, unfortunately.
Rauru must have noticed her hopeless expression, because he sat down as well. He turned to her with an expectant expression.
"Tell me of the forest, young one." He sat with his eyes fixed on her. She sighed heavily. She didn't want to. After all, her forest home had been cast into ruin by Ganondorf. The once verdant sanctuary that was Kokiri Village was now a gloomy mess. Thinking of the state of her once beloved forest nearly brought a tear to her eye. She knew she could not bear to tell him and drudge up such painful memories. But she would. It was her duty. It was important to spread knowledge between the Sages. After all, her knowledge is what made her a Sage.
"Well..." She began. Her story would be long and full of joy and sorrow.