Well, here we are again! Sorry about the long wit, but this chapter turned out longer than I expected, and editing it was a paaaain. Can you say... 8,000 words! Lot's of people, lots of dialogue. I had fun writing Ruto. Maybe I'll write more some time. Until then, enjoy! Let me know if you have any criticism.

Ruto, Sage of Water

Ruto sighed with a smile as she watched her hero fade out and away from the chamber. She gave him a gentle wave, and them he was out of sight. That was just like him, she thought, never in one place for too long.

She barely just arrived, but she already had a good look all around the chamber. That was the benefit of eyes on the side of one's head. It was a bit interesting to her that the other sages faded in after Link left. They hadn't been there a moment ago, then Link left and they suddenly appeared, as if they'd always been there. She wasn't surprised. This place was old and magical, who could truly say how it worked.

Her smile faded. She wouldn't admit it to Link, or the other sages, but she wished dearly she hadn't been chosen for this task. It was a great honor, and of course, it was all for the greater good, but she would give it all up to be out there with Link. They could save the kingdom together, and travel the world, seeing any number of sights. It would be the romantic venture she had dreamed of since childhood.

She wished they could be together now, but there were more important things to think of now. The fate of the kingdom was on the line, so their wedding would have to wait. The princess had to wait here, in the old chamber, and she wouldn't be able to leave for a long time. It was a sour deal, in her opinion. One more reason Ruto had to wish she wasn't a sage.

"There he goes. Husbands, hm?" Ruto smiled and addressed the other sages lackadaisically. She was stuck here, after all, she figured she might as well get to know the others. She turned to meet the other three with her eyes. Well, the front ones, anyway.

It wasn't entirely impressive. A Kokiri, an old man, and, most unfortunately, a Goron. The Kokiri was somewhat surprising to her, but she could see the logic behind it. After all, children see the world differently than adults, and perhaps that's what made her wise enough to be a sage. The old man was a predictable choice. When Ruto imagined a 'sage', she pictured some old, wrinkled, well-read geezer. The goron, however, took her by surprise. What was wise about a goron? And for that matter, what was intelligent or subtle, or even appealing? She sighed and pursed her lips for only a second. They weren't who she would have picked, but she didn't have a say. She dismissed her preconceptions and tried to remain positive.

"Husband?" The Goron questioned excitedly. He laughed and clapped his hands together. "I had no idea Link was married! Hey, congratulations! You're pretty young for that kind of thing, but hey, grab life by the horns!" He chortled, amused, and gave her the thumbs up with a wink. Ruto found it a bit creepy.

"Now, hold on, Link doesn't have a wife!" The young girl squeaked. Darunia and Ruto both shot different, disapproving looks to her. "I think he would have told me about that if he did!" She seemed a bit flustered with the whole thing. "Plus, Link is much too shy to propose to someone. He hardly speaks to anyone!"

Ruto laughed at the girl's naïveté. Though she was right, Link was a quiet one, he would never propose to her first. She chuckled. She didn't know exactly how old this girl was, Kokiri were often older than they appeared, but they were still children at heart. Ruto smiled at her knowingly.

"Don't be ridiculous, Link didn't propose to me. My father would never allow that. No, I proposed to him. It was the most romantic moment of my life..." She sighed as she remembered that fateful day. The two of them at sundown, neck deep in crisp clean water, looking particularly disheveled after a trip through a giant fish. The whole thing had a bit of a humorous air to it.

The old man nodded in understanding, but the other two just looked shocked. Ruto saw this gesture and nodded back, a polite grin on her face. When the other two remained silent, the ancient sage stepped forward and introduced himself.

"Princess Ruto, you may not remember me. I met your father on a trip up the river. It was many years ago, when you were barely a guppy, I don't expect you to recall. I am Rauru, Sage of Light." He smiled and bowed. Ruto respected a man who acknowledged royalty.

"Please, of course I remember you, Rauru." Ruto lied, "in here, though, you can just call me..." She hesitated. She wanted to be friendly, it was true, but she did have to maintain her royal air. "On second thought, Princess is fine. Stick with that." She smiled coyly. She was royalty after all, why not be treated as such?

"Who are your friends, Rauru?" She asked as the other two regained their composure. Before Rauru could speak, the Goron stepped off his pedestal and marched over to her. She wished he had kept his distance, he smelled of baked garbage, but she grinned at him politely.

"Good to meet ya, Princess. I'm Darunia, Sage of Fire. And Chief of Gorons. I'm almost like royalty myself, huh?" The Goron grinned widely as Ruto shook his hand meekly. His skin was rough, almost like shark skin. It was unpleasant, like his breath. The way he shook hands was by no means appropriate for greeting a princess such as herself. He shook his pasty appendage like he was attempting to kill her, not meet her.

"Yes, almost like royalty," she stressed the 'almost', "Princess Ruto, Sage of Water. I suppose that makes us opposites, hm?" She chuckled, but it was true. She was small and dainty, light and graceful, and above all, beautiful. And he was a Goron.

Darunia laughed at what he thought was a joke and Ruto was amused. He returned to his pedestal and gave Saria the go ahead to meet the fishy princess. And Saria did step forward, but she did not introduce herself.

"Did you really propose to Link? And he said yes?" The green clad girl stood on her toes to look taller when she spoke to Ruto. She was still hung up on a simple fact, it seemed. Ruto wondered what part of this she had trouble grasping.

"Yes, I did propose to him. Although, he didn't exactly say yes, but he didn't say no, so that's good enough. And, though I loathe to admit it, we're not married yet. You might say he's more my fiancé. The wedding is on hold until our kingdom settles down." She grinned. That ought to clear things up for the girl. "Princess Ruto, Sage of Water. And you?"

"So you aren't married? So he's not your husband." The girl said matter-of-factly. Ruto didn't like that tone, especially not with her. She was royalty after all, and royalty was to be treated with respect. Still, she kept her composure and acted as a princess should. If she lost her nerves at an annoying little girl, she would embarrass herself in front of her colleagues.

"No, you're right. He isn't my husband yet. Soon, however, he'll be prince of the Zora people." She stated proudly, as if to brag about her excellent taste in husbands. She wanted to put this issue to rest before she was challenged again.

"But how do you know if he didn't say yes? Just because he didn't say no doesn't mean he meant yes!" She looked mad. Ruto was getting impatient. But before she could respond, Rauru stepped forward.

"Saria," he began, "I think it's best if you just dropped the subject. If the Princess insists they'll be married, then they'll be married. Try to be happy for your friend, hm?" Rauru put a hand on her shoulder and smiled.

"But," Saria began, but the words didn't come. She looked to her Goron companion for validation. "Darunia, you must think this is absurd, right? Link is your kinsman, you must be concerned too!" She pleaded with him for some support, but he Goron just shrugged.

"Hey, kid, don't ask me, Goron's don't have weddings. We don't even have women to wed, kid! I don't know how any of this works. I just figured it already happened!" He smiled weakly at his excuse. The other three just looked at him like he had said something strange. Ruto considered pointing out the obvious biological anomaly that had presented itself, but figured it was more trouble than it was worth. Asking a Goron to elaborate would have them listening to a stammering nincompoop all day.

"Either way, you can't just decide you'll marry someone. What if he wants to come back to the forest after all this?" Saria pointed out. Ruto simply rolled her eyes, all four of them, at her.

"Well don't be absurd, he'll be too busy assisting me as I lead the Zora race. He wouldn't have time to go anywhere." She laughed at the silly notion. She no longer wondered what this was all about. She was smart enough to figure it out by now. "You have feelings for my husband, don't you?" Ruto accused. "My word, but, you're so small!"

Saria took a step back and blushed. "No!" She rebuked, "of course not!" She stared at Ruto silently for a moment, but Ruto simply stared back with a smirk that reflected her disbelief. "Maybe at one point," Saria continued meekly, "after all, I've known him much longer than you have! But not anymore. After all I haven't spoken to him in ages! But he's my best friend, and I want him to be happy. Who are you to say what's best for him, hm?" She crossed her arms and turned her head up rudely.

Ruto scowled. She had had quite enough of this. With the other sages staying neutral on the matter she would have to make her own case. "I suppose then that you do know what's best? Please, you're being irrational, if anyone knows what's best for the future, it is I." She felt the volume and pace of her speech quicken unintentionally. She tried her best to dial it back.

"Oh, very amusing!" Saria yelled, sarcastically, "You don't know anything!" Saria furiously approached the fishy princess. "How long have you known Link, hm? Not as long as I have, I promise you that! I know better than anyone what Link would do, an—" Her childish scream was cut short by a bellowing voice that caught everyone off guard.

"Silence!" An old and powerful voice boomed. "Quit your bickering! You're acting like children!" He stepped between them, and seemed to tower over them like a monolith.

"Hey, Rauru, settle down there. Just let them work this out, okay?" Darunia attempted to calm his friend as the two girls looked on in sudden shock. Darunia's efforts were in vain, however. Rauru simply shot him a look of intense disdain. Darunia backed down, eyes fixed firmly on the ground.

"The legitimacy of Ruto's marriage is not in question, Saria. Princess, with all due respect, you cannot decide Link's fate for him." He began, setting both girls straight. They both took a few steps to distance themselves from the older sage. "I will not listen to this unbearable squabbling any longer. If you are truly concerned for our hero's future decisions, you can ask him for his opinion after he has finished his duty and banished Ganondorf, if indeed, he survives!"

Ruto, Saria, and even Darunia stared in stunned silence. Ruto looked down shyly at her feet. In that moment, Rauru reminded her of her father, who would scold her when she acted up.

Saria looked at him, an intense burning in her eyes that showed how the statement had wounded her. She stepped towards Rauru, a giant compared to her small frame. "Don't say such things! That's wicked!" She shouted, her voice ringing out sharp and high through the room. Rauru did not look down at her, or even acknowledge her presence. Rather, he simply kept his eyes shut in sheer annoyance.

"Are you all so ignorant to believe that Link's very existence guarantees his survival?" He spoke after some contempt. "The survival of the kingdom? Do you think that the sages coming together indicates is any indication that there is a future for this land? Let me clearly and plainly explain to you the situation we have found ourselves in!" He bellowed. The old man's eyes were wide and furious, a look the other three had never seen before. He gave off an aura of total rage.

"We wait here until the six of us have gathered. Then we open the way to Ganondorf for Link. What happens after that is all up to fate. If Link should fail, and die at the Evil King's hands, then he will kill Zelda, and shortly after, he will find all of us, and kill us as well." He said this as with total neutrality, giving no indication of sadness or worry in his tone. To him, it was a simple fact, nothing more. "Then he will rule the kingdom for the rest of eternity. Your lives, the lives of everyone you've ever known, and the lives of everyone in Hyrule are hanging by a thread. So before you argue about the future of Hyrule, or what you will go on to do with your short, petty lives, I suggest you fret about whether or not you will have one! And you wonder why I am always so cross." He kept his glare trained steadily on them for several seconds before turning and marching back to his seat. Crossing his arms with a huff, he said nothing more. He simply closed his eyes and returned to his thoughts.

The other sages looked sadly at each other. Rauru's words echoed in their heads and left despair looming over them. No one dared to break the silence that followed Rauru's wicked speech. They all returned to their pedestals silently.

Some time passed, and no one dared to break the silence that Rauru had created. Even Ruto, normally in high spirits, felt defeated as she sit quietly, waiting for nothing. It was now, more than ever, she wished she was not a sage. It could have been her father, or any one for that matter, but of course, it had to be her. She cursed her luck. Waiting here did not fill her with pride like she knew it was supposed to.

A short time later, Ruto heard Rauru clear his throat. It seemed he had more to say. "I'm sorry I had to yell. But I need you all to understand the grave situation that we are in. I've been lenient up until now. I've allowed horseplay and childish antics to take the place of serious behavior and quiet reflection." His eyes passed over Darunia and Saria. "But no longer. As of today, I will be leading us, and we will take our duty as it was meant to be taken. I do sincerely hope all goes as planned, but in the event that something goes awry, we must be prepared." His furrowed brow indicated an air of total seriousness. With his piece said, he returned to his quiet thought, his true nature betrayed in the creases of his frowning face.

Ruto looked to the others. They seemed distressed, which came as no surprise. Rauru's words meant little to her, after all, she had never met the man, but to them? They must have been close to him before she arrived, as they looked not only depressed, but hurt. The young Zora wondered if Rauru had always been this way.

She mulled over his words in her head. Ruto had never known Link to fail in his endeavors. But this was a threat unlike anything the world had ever seen. What if all their powers together were not enough to prevail? She thought of the grave consequences of defeat that the old sage had described. Would Ganondorf truly come after them? That seemed like lunacy. The chamber they were in was designed to keep them perfectly safe! Even if he did get in, there was no way he could hope to fight all six of the sages. Then again, she didn't know exactly what Ganondorf was capable of. She didn't want to find out. It felt as though she had just arrived, but the mood had become so dire so quickly.

All this arguing had taken a toll on the other sages, Ruto included. For such a quiet place, it sure got dramatic. The others took a much larger hit from Rauru's words than she did; Saria looked like she could burst out sobbing at any moment, and the frown on Darunia's face seemed wider than his stomach.

Ruto decided that, after all this, she wasn't angry at Rauru for making his point. After all, he was right, they were all at risk. No, she was angry at him for saying it so harshly! He had devastated the other sages. Had he no empathy? These people were apparently his friends, and yet, Ruto noted, he cared little for how they felt. He cared only for how they behaved. And of course he expected them to behave like him. How could a sage so ancient and wise expect such a diverse group to behave in such a uniform manner? Ruto scowled. She would not allow such tyranny to besmirch the good name of the sages.

Ruto scoffed at the idea Rauru in a leadership position. Obviously, that's how he saw himself, but the Zora princess did not see him as fit to lead. The others needed a leader with empathy. One that was kind, yet disciplined. One who could never err. 'Oh, wait,' She thought to herself, 'that's me!'

She grinned. She would be the perfect leader. She had the qualifications, the looks, the charisma, the knowledge. 'Wow! Is there anything I don't have? Nope!' She was much more capable than some shriveled raisin of a Hylian, she told herself. She would have to elect herself as the new head of the sages. That would be easy, she thought. Evidently, all it took was a little shouting and then one could just decide to be leader. But before she could assume that position, she would have to convince the others to be on her side. She'd have to show them just how much more pleasant she was than Rauru. That, she knew, would be effortless.

She waited until the old man appeared to be asleep. Some time had passed before she could say that he was asleep. His head did droop, and his breathing became deeper, but whether that was sleep setting in, or simply age, was unknown. He didn't move an inch, sitting like a stone. Ruto didn't really know how someone his age stayed so totally stationary. She reached a hand out to him and snapped a finger. No response. The others seemed to take notice and looked at her as though she were mad. She took no notice. She clapped her hands. No response. If he was awake, he certainly wasn't aware of his surroundings. Ruto took that as a sign to begin.

She hopped off her pedestal and flitted gracefully to Darunia, who had long since curled into a reclusive state. Her steps were light, but a bit clumsy. She detested walking on dry land, she would never get used to it. If there were so much as a puddle in the room, Ruto could sit peacefully in it and feel at home. Instead her feet slapped against the ground like a fish that had been hauled onto a dock. She tried to mask the sound they made by walking on her heels. The feeling was unpleasant.

She reached Darunia and laid a hand on his back. This made the Goron shiver and look up at her. She smiled, put a finger to her lips, and motioned for him to sit up. Then, tip toeing, she reached Saria, had been watching the whole thing. She held out a hand for Saria to take, but the Kokiri hesitated. Ruto gave her a reassuring smile, and beckoned once more, but still, the girl refused. Ultimately, it was Darunia, turning his massive head and nodding to her, that convinced Saria to follow Ruto. Ruto took the young girl by the hand, leading her back to the Goron and they all took a seat. Now they were assembled. It was time for a meeting.

Saria wiped her hand on her shorts with disgust. "What is on your hand?" She inquired as she tried to cleanse a slimy substance from the palm of her hand.

"Hm? Oh, that's just hydrating mucous." Ruto whispered to avoid waking the old man. When the others still looked confused, she elaborated. "It's very dry in here, I don't want to dry up. So I just... Excrete. A bit like sweat. But... Slimy fish stuff. Don't worry, it's harmless." Ruto smiled at the look of total displeasure on Saria's face. She may be trying to improve their relationship, but she hadn't forgotten the argument they had not long before.

She had no control over this excretion, but she didn't mind it at all. She barely noticed it, in fact. All Zora did it in dry environments. Still, it did sometimes disturb those who were unaware

"What's all this about? I don't like all this sneaking and whispering. Not like me at all." Darunia stated flatly in his quietest voice. It was still low and booming, but at least it didn't wake Rauru.

"I've been thinking of what the grey man over there said. You know, the impending doom and all that?" She chuckled, "Seems a bit dramatic, if you ask me." She smiled at the both of them, but they didn't smile back.

"Oh, dramatic, huh?" Darunia scoffed. "Rauru is totally and utterly correct, nothing about this is a game. I admit, even I haven't been behaving as I should." The Goron frowned at his confession. Ruto rolled her eyes at him and prepared a response, but Saria spoke before she could.

"What if it's true?" Saria inquired. "What if Ganondorf... What if Link fails?" Ruto could see the fear of losing her dear friend in her eyes. It was intense, sad, and lonely, but Ruto was not phased. She knew Link would not fail. That could never, ever happen.

"Please." She laughed. "Have you met Link? He can handle whatever that sorry excuse for a king can conjure up." Darunia nodded in agreement. Saria simply looked down at the ground she sat on. Obviously, Ruto's words had had an effect, but she wasn't totally convinced.

"That's true. Link's tougher than rock. It'd be hard to keep him down." Darunia mused, rubbing his chin and ruffling his beard. Saria too, looked roused.

"If I were Ganondorf, I'd be much more worried about us." Ruto continued. The others looked at her as if she was insane. Ruto just smiled at them knowingly. She turned to Darunia.

"My dear Goron friend, tell me again what you've accomplished in life." She winked at him and he grinned. Ruto forced a smile as the Goron began talking. Though this was necessary to boost the morale of the others, she frankly didn't care what a Goron had done in it's life.

"Hey, my favorite topic!" The Goron laughed. "Where to begin? How about the time I dug a new cave system with my own two fists? Or the time I threw a Dodongo clear over the mountain? Or-" Ruto nodded and cut him off.

"That's all very nice. Perhaps the full list can wait for now." Ruto said bluntly as the Goron sealed his lips and nodded. She could see that he was beginning to grasp the idea that she was getting at. She turned to Saria and asked her the same question.

"Well, I've always lived in the forest. I haven't done much with life. I led a simple, carefree life all through my years." She bit her thumbnail in thought. "Well, I was always the Deku Tree's favorite. And I've perfectly memorized the route through the lost woods as well." She grinned. "Skull Kids don't even bother me when I go through there! But," she paused, "those aren't really accomplishments."

"Don't be absurd," Ruto began, sensing the doubt in her words, "Obviously, you have a cunning mind if you can say you've done all that. You must be a master of subtleties! You know how clever Ganondorf is? When he wanted to get rid of the Zora, he simply froze our domain. Covered it with ice! How boring it was. Must have taken him no time at all to come up with that." She laughed.

She wanted to make them at least feel a bit of optimism before she made her move for leadership. She had total faith that they would be fine, and she wanted the others to feel that way as well. She would be here for weeks at least, she didn't want to spend that time moping.

That and, deep down, she felt a bit sorry for the two. She was her own first priority, but that didn't mean she had no empathy. She was the only one here capable of lifting the mood, and she wanted to. She hardly knew these two, but she still felt a sense of companionship with them. Perhaps it was because they were all sages, or maybe it was just her usual outgoing self, but she wanted to befriend them. Even the Goron seemed a bit more tolerable than others she had met in her time.

"Of course, I'm a princess. I've done all sorts of impressive things! Link and I once escaped from the belly of Jabu Jabu." She paused to reflect for a moment. "Well, it was mostly me, but Link certainly helped. And that's when I was only ten!" She chuckled. Of course, Link had been the one doing most of the work, she knew that. His courage had been what inspired her to propose. But her importance in the process could not be overlooked.

Darunia looked at her with a single brow raised. "What's a Jabu Jabu?" He inquired as he scratched his head.

"It doesn't matter!" Ruto responded immediately, dismissing his question with a wave of her hand, "The point is, we're all pretty amazing. Especially me. And there's six of us, potentially! How could anything stand up to all of us at once? It couldn't." She smiled smugly. "After all, we're all gathered here to help defeat him anyway. We're strong enough to do that, no matter what our aging companion says."

"Yeah!" Darunia agreed. "If we were all out there right now, I bet ol' Ganondorf would be cryin' like a toddler! I'd give him a piece of my mind, knock him straight into next-" before he could finish the thought, he was silence by Ruto, who calmed him down before he got too loud. They were still going behind Rauru's back, and it was best if he stayed asleep for the duration of their conversation.

"Hold on," Saria cut in, "I couldn't stop him from taking over the forest. Darunia, you couldn't fight Volvagia." Darunia frowned at this. "And Princess, you said yourself that he froze your home. None of us could stop any of that from happening." The small girl pointed out. Ruto knew her point was valid, but it was irrelevant.

"Yes, well, we were alone. But six awakened sages? Together? Against one self-proclaimed 'King of Evil'? The odds are clearly in our favor. Besides, he may have frozen my home, but I escaped. I was... Biding my time. Just long enough for Link to arrive, then we'd go face the Evil King together." She fibbed. Even she was starting to believe this. The Zora had no idea what six sages together were actually capable of, but maybe she was right. Maybe they were powerful enough to stop Ganondorf. What if all six of them combined could bring Hyrule back to the way it was before? The thought seemed perfectly reasonable, given the mystery behind the process.

"I think you're right. But uh..." Darunia rubbed his chin in thought, "If we could stop Ganondorf, then why do we need Link?"

Ruto scoffed at the silly Goron. "Please try to keep up, Darunia. Did you know you were a sage before Link awakened you? I certainly didn't! Obviously, Link is simply here to gather us. Don't get me wrong, I love Link, but..." she sighed and shook her head. "We all know who the real heroes are here."

Darunia laughed in agreement. "See, Saria? It all makes sense!" He grinned at the young Kokiri gently. She sighed and gave the whole idea some thought. Then, after a time, she nodded.

"I guess you're right. In which case, we really have nothing to fear!" She giggled. "And poor Rauru has been worried this whole time!" She smiled at Ruto happily for a moment, before recalling the argument they had not long before.

"You... Really like Link that much, right?" She asked hesitantly. Ruto, annoyed, sighed and rolled her eyes. She did not want to get into this fight again.

"Saria, come on, just forget about, huh?" Darunia urged. "We were having a good time!" But Saria kept her eyes fixed on Ruto, ignoring her friend's words.

Ruto sighed. "Yes, I love him. I'm a princess, after all! I wouldn't speak lightly about my own marriage!" She crossed her arms and waited for a childish rebuke, but it never came. After a few moments, she eyed, only the side one this time, Saria suspiciously.

The girl was looking down at the ground, judging her words carefully. Clearly deep in thought over the whole conundrum. Ruto hoped that meant she wouldn't have to argue any more about his point.

Link had been her first love. Though over the years, she'd had many Zora suitors, none quite appealed to her as he had. She never lost faith in that man, despite an unexplained seven year absence. Only once, on the seventh year, had she truly considered the possibility that she may never see him again. That was only a short time ago, as she watched the King of Evil ravage her home. In that instance, she truly felt hopeless. But that hopelessness had melted away when she came face-to-face with her savior not a day ago, in the temple deep beneath Lake Hylia.

She so wished they had met on a happier occasion. Neither were in a particularly courting mood at that moment. The setting, though ancient and mysterious, was not very romantic. Even after their work in the Water Temple had come to an end, she found that she would have to wait even longer. She had to stay in the chamber, and she certainly couldn't hold a wedding there. So she had to put a hold on their marriage. Her heart ached until the day when she and her husband could be together.

There was only one thing that worried her. Link never responded to her proposal. In fact, he hardly spoke at all. She simply accepted that he was a quiet person, but to remain silent even during a marriage proposal was unreasonable. What if, after all these years of waiting, he never had any intention of marrying her? Her heart would shatter. She didn't dare entertain such troubling thoughts.

After some silence, Ruto grew impatient with the Kokiri girl. She had just sat there this whole time, not moving an inch. Even Darunia was beginning to tire of waiting. Ruto began to speak when Saria cut her off.

"Okay." She looked up and smiled at her. "You're a good person. I think Link would be happy with you. Just," she said hesitantly, "Make sure he gets some time off to visit the forest once and a while!"

Ruto was shocked. She certainly hoped for an end to the argument, but she didn't truly expect it. Saria's response was surprisingly mature for a Kokiri. Then again, Ruto realized Saria was a sage. She was wise and mature, despite her childish demeanor. Ruto was impressed.

"Thank you for your approval." Ruto said politely, even though she never really asked for it. "Don't worry, we'll... Take a diplomatic trip to the woods for you. I must admit, I'm a bit curious to see it." Ruto assured her. That seemed to put Saria at ease. Ruto weighed the topic heavily in her mind and decided that, yes, in fact, a diplomatic trip to the woods would probably be a good idea. With the issue settled, Ruto returned to the topic at hand.

"For such a wise sage, one would think Rauru would already know all this." She mused innocently. "But he's so cross! Not very fun, is he?"

"Fun?" Darunia laughed. "Rauru rarely has fun. If you're lucky, you might get a smile, but it takes a lot to bring it out. And I've only heard him laugh one time! Mostly, he just keeps to himself." Darunia looked to the old man, still asleep and unmoving.

"He means well," Saria started, "but he's always so uptight. When I first arrived, he was awful! He had no respect." Saria scowled. Ruto figured there must have been an incident between the two.

"Well, why did you two put him in charge?" Ruto asked. She knew she would make a much better leader than Rauru. She was born for that position.

Darunia and Saria took a glance at each other, wide eyed. Ruto realized in that moment that they actually hadn't. Rauru had simply assumed the position. The arrogance stunned her. Who did he think he was? A princess? Saria was about to answer when she was silenced by another.

"I have heard enough." The old man said as all eyes turned to him. Rauru stood and took a slow steps over to the group, arms folded behind his back. His serious gaze settled on them. His stern, angry expression made Ruto feel very small.

"I refuse to be the villain of your little game." He sounded very calm when he spoke. "I will not sit idly by as I am antagonized. You may believe Ruto's stories, if you so choose. Know that you are wrong, and your optimism is misplaced in this arrogant woman." He addressed the others sharply. Ruto didn't much care for the wild disrespect she was just handed. Then, with the same coldness, he spoke to Ruto herself. "I may not be your ideal leader. I am not the leader your father is. But I know best. I am correct, and I will not be challenged by those that would creep behind my back."

He turned his chin up and walked slowly back to his pedestal. He arrived and turned, keeping his eyes fixed firmly on the other three sages. Then, without a word, he returned to his thoughts.

Ruto felt the blood rush to her cheeks as she was called out by the old man. The way his words came out slow and strong, it made him seem so powerful. With that one speech, he had undone all her progress. All the cheering up she had done meant nothing now. She appeared weak, as if she was clueless to their real circumstances.

She didn't look back at the others. She was too embarrassed to face them. Not only had she been utterly trounced by Rauru, but now the others looked bad as well. Ruto inadvertently made all three of them look like fools. They were the victims of Rauru's coldness once again, an ordeal that could have been avoided if Ruto had remained silent. Well, now she would.

When Ruto said nothing, Saria returned to her place. Ruto looked up at her to see the sadness in her eyes. Turning, she met Darunia's gaze, whose former optimism and energy had been quashed. Ruto lamented on the fact that she had failed to assert dominance. Or she would have, but she was too preoccupied with another source of woe. She grimaced at their sadness. She had tried so hard to make them happy, and just like that, it had all gone to waste. That's what she found herself low about. She didn't care that she hadn't replaced Rauru. That was a selfish goal anyway. She just wanted the other two to smile.

Ruto came to her feet. She had won the trust of the others. She had become their friends. She wouldn't let go of that so easily. Now, more than sadness, or shyness, she felt anger. The Royal Zora had a temper, this was obvious, and when it woke, it woke like a raging tsunami. Maybe the others would listen to Rauru's tirades, but Ruto was a different story. She would not take such cruelty laying down. She could not sit idly by as her position was spat upon by some old, fat nobody! She would not sit idly by when she saw the helpless be bullied. She was a princess, and a princess was strong.

"I was simply trying to cheer them up!" She screamed angrily. It took the others by surprise and nearly made them jump out of their skins.

"Princess," Darunia began, but he was silenced by a dismissive wave from the Zora royalty herself. She would say her piece.

"Really? And the best way to do that is by dragging my name through the muck?" Rauru looked at her in silent rage. His fury was evident, but it stayed hidden just beneath the surface of his calm exterior. "Do you have any idea, even the slightest inclination, of what I have done in my lifetime? For all my life, I have slaved for the kingdom and for her people. To be insulted so is inexcusable." He exhaled sharply.

"I don't care what you've done in your life!" Ruto erupted, stomping a webbed foot on the hard ground. "All I care about is how you've been today. Heartless, cruel, and ugly. It's a wonder the others put up with you!" The others did not rise to support her, but she didn't mind. This was between the two of them.

"What I have been today," he sighed, "is realistic. Everything I've said today has been factual and accurate. Unlike you, who would prefer to act like a child and tell wild fairy stories! You think that kind words will save us if things go awry? You are truly idiotic." He shook his head at her in disgust.

Ruto put a hand to her chest and, insulted, looked at him accusingly. "How dare you? I am royalty! How dare you insult a princess?" It was a rare thing for her to be directly insulted, much less so harshly. In fact, she had never before been called such a thing. It was new. It stung like the tendril of a jellyfish.

"You are not a princess!" HE bellowed, nearly shaking the room with his massive call. His brow furrowed and showed his anger. "The Zora may have their own land, their own monarch, but they are ultimately governed by the Royal Family of Hyrule! You may call yourself a princess, your father may call himself a King, but you have no power. There is but one princess who I bow to, and she is much more deserving of the title!" He shouted furiously. His words echoed in the silence left after them. Ruto had never been so insulted. She frantically tried to think of a retort, but no words came. She just stood, agape.

A moment of silence passed, and Ruto nearly considered giving up. Rauru stared at her, ready to counter any argument that came his way. Until his furious gaze settled on Saria, who rose to her feet and ran to Ruto's side.

"The Great Deku Tree leads the Kokiri. We have him to thank for our way of life. He keeps us safe and well. But the woods are still part of Hyrule. Am I to believe he has no power, as well?" She said pointedly. Rauru stood firm, but didn't speak.

Darunia, colossal and mighty, rose up to join them as well. Towering over their heads, he folded his arms. "I am the chief of the Goron Tribe. Their ways are ancient and mighty, and they all look to me for guidance! My brothers would definitely call me powerful! I would call me powerful! But I guess since Death Mountain is part of Hyrule, I'm just a figure head, huh?" He laughed loudly, "Even I do not believe that!" His usual grin did not appear on his face. Just a wicked scowl.

Ruto smiled. Their support had saved her in her hour of need. She knew the other sages were friendly, but such devotion was moving. She tried to sum up her feeling of gratitude with only words, but she could think of none. She didn't have to. They looked at her and nodded, an indication that her feelings were understood.

Darunia cleared his throat and stomped over to Rauru, who simply stood there, unafraid. Darunia placed a hand on his shoulder and sighed.

"Rauru, I respect you. You've done important work in your life. I understand that. But the way I see it, you have no experience as a leader." Saria nodded behind him and Ruto laughed. "If, when Volvagia appeared in my home, I came to my tribe and told them to lie down and hope things went well, they'd surely elect me to be eaten first! You can not lead by telling your followers to give up! Would the royal family do that?" He smiled at him earnestly, but Rauru did not return the gesture. He brushed the Goron's weighty hand off of his shoulder and sighed.

"I suppose I have not been entirely truthful." He began. Ruto listened attentively. She didn't know where he was going, but she had a feeling they had won.

"The sages already have a true leader. They always have!" He turned to face them. "In truth, Zelda herself is the leader of the sages. But as she cannot be present here, I assumed the role. Someone had to keep the other five in order! After all, how would we get anything done without someone at the reins! I am needed for this, at least! After all I have done, I..." He rubbed his temples in exasperation. "I believed I had seniority, being the first of the sages."

Darunia and Ruto both laughed, and Saria smiled sheepishly. "That's so cute!" The Zora mocked. Rauru's cheeks flushed red and he turned away. Ruto smiled at his resignation.

There was no leader of the sages, a least, not in their presence. The whole notion was absolutely silly. Why should there be? The sages were a group of equals, united for one purpose. Ruto dismissed the notion of leadership as an important factor to the Sages. In this chamber, there would be no leader.

"Well," Ruto started after the others had calmed down, "that settles it. Rauru can't lead, and I..." She shrugged and sighed with a smile, "well, I could lead, but I won't. I don't think a leader is really needed in here!"

The friendlier of the sages agreed whole heartedly. Rauru stood silently until addressed.

"Well, Rauru?" She smirked indignantly. "I think we can all agree on that, can't we? We'll all just govern each other. We're only four people, after all. The whole idea of a 'leader' is just a bit silly." She laid a small hand on his shoulder to convince him. He was still the same grump he had been since she arrived.

Rauru stayed silent for a long time. His scowl had long since become a frown, and his defeated demeanor made him seem so much less threatening. In fact, for the first time, Ruto noticed that they were the same height. Zora were naturally tall, slender people, it didn't surprise her at all. But something about Rauru's anger, perhaps his precise, slow movements, or his deep, commanding voice, had made him seem so much larger. In realiity, he was simply a fat, bald old man.

Rauru looked at her with a frown, and then to the others. With a tired sigh, he began to speak. "If that is how you all want it to be, then I suppose I agree. After all, that is..." He swallowed and close his eyes. "That is what a good leader would do. Listen to his people." With that, the Sage of Light returned to his usual silence.

"Well!" Darunia bellowed. "That's that then! That was certainly dramatic, huh?" Saria laughed at his sudden release.

"Already back to your old self, Darunia?" She asked through her childish giggles. He looked surprised.

"Not yet!" He lifted her up and placed her on his shoulder. "There we go! Knew somethin' was missing!" They laughed together as Ruto watched the scene unfold before her. She couldn't help but smile as they paraded around the room. The kind of affection they displayed, a sort of familial, sibling relationship, is something she was unfamiliar with. Being an only child, she often wondered what having siblings would be like.

As she watched them, she felt a hand tap her shoulder. Turning, she saw Rauru standing uneasily behind her. He didn't make eye contact, choosing instead to keep his eyes fixed firmly on some invisible object in the distance. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath before opening his mouth to speak.

"I suppose," He quietly said, "You are owed an apology. I..." He paused to gather his thoughts, but Ruto spoke before he was able to continue.

"Rauru, stop. You don't need to apologize. You were only doing what you thought was right." She weakly. She was still furious, of course, but she would put that aside for another day. "Of course, I was as well. We insulted each other, and this is how it all worked out." She shrugged. "Under different circumstances, it could have gone another way. I still would have been right, of course, but that doesn't always count." She smiled at him again.

Rauru, taken aback, pondered her words for a moment before responding. "Thank you for understanding, then. I..." He sighed with a frown that betrayed his age, "I wish I could share your optimism. When I think of the future, I am consumed by fear."

She sighed and turned to the other two sages, still lost in their games. "We're all scared. Everyone is scared." She sat, and invited him to do the same. He accepted and took a seat beside her. "But you have to be strong for the others. If you're scared, we will be as well. But if we all keep our chins up, I think our time here will be heaps more tolerable." She nodded at her own words.

"Hm." Rauru sat on these words for a while. Together, they sat quietly for a while. There was a peacefulness in the chamber that hadn't existed there since she had arrived.

"Do you truly believe the six of us have that kind of power?" Rauru asked after a long silence he kept his eyes elsewhere as he attempted to ponder a more positive outcome for the kingdom.

Ruto hesitated. She thought about assuring him that everything would be okay, but she didn't know that. Besides, she knew Rauru would never buy that. Instead, she opted to tell him the truth.

"I don't know. It's hard to say either way, really. Obviously, we're gathered here for a higher purpose, and we're all powerful people. But I don't know what kind of power it is. So I just hope we can pull something together." She tried to pull a smile, but it quickly faded. She found herself absentmindedly picking at the webbing at the base of her fingers nervously.

He sighed. "That's what I thought. For what it is worth, you may be correct. I suppose, for now, there's always hope." He sat with her for the next few hours. Neither said a word.

When the others tired of play they sat as well. Together, the four of them sat quietly. There would be time for talk later. Now was the time for peace.