Hyrule under Fire
Escape to the Kokiri
Grandma silently stared out her home's window, watching the smoke rising from Hyrule Castle. She did not need the wisdom of Sages to sense what happened. She nonchalantly turned, Medilia standing with baby in her arms, not letting emotions grasp her.
Link happily looked at Grandma as she put her hand on his capped head.
Grandma remained stoic. "Your husband has fallen. Flee, if you value your life and that of your child."
"But Mother, am I here to leave you to your fate?"
"I am an old woman... This is my home. Here I was born, and here is where I will die."
Link's eyes widened, hand partly raised to his mouth, infant brain
Medilia was concerned but did not overreact, voice louder yet her expression controlled. "Farewell, then, dear mother!"
Mother went into the bedroom, where the spare swordbelt remained. Medilia put Link on the bed. He watched Mom wear the swordbelt, big eyes so curious. She fetched an orange sheet to wrap around Baby.
She gasped—banging and shouting intensified outside.
"It seems you better hurry," Grandma remarked, calmly sitting in her chair.
Link in her arms, Medilia scurried outside, rioters hurling torches upon buildings, her home next. She grimaced, hearing Malanya neighing, flames building around their stables. I have to free him...
The rebels noticed. "Look! A pretty girl!" "Just for us!" "Heh heh heh..."
Medilia was unfettered. The men approached, axes and swords in their hands, laughing at such easy prey. The first man moved his arm to grasp her hair.
Link gasped, clutching Mother.
Baby in one arm, Mom gripped her hilt in her free hand, flickering flames not enough to reveal her sword. With a single fluid motion, she unsheathed her sword while dragging the blade across the man's looming forearm.
He reared, screaming—Medilia thrust her sword through his mouth, shutting him up. He fell over limply. The other men hesitated, but anger arose.
The next man went forth. "Stupid bitch!"
Mom's eyes narrowed. "You dare to insult me after everything I went through?!"
He raised his ax and brought it down—Mom swung her sword upwards, blade sliding up the helve and slicing into fingers. The man yelled, dropping his ax. Mom stepped in. "Hohh! Hah! HYYAAHHH!" After those three strikes, he flumped, Link's eyes wide from amazement.
The rest of the men growled, charging Medilia. Holding Link tight, Medilia bent her knees, sword backwards. The air darkened, the men hesitated. Holding Baby tight and close, Mom spun, sword covered with swirling blueness, cutting open her attacker's legs. Crippled, they fell haplessly, grumbling insults.
More rioters approached, destroying everything they came across.
Medilia sheathed her sword and rushed into the stables, Malanya neighing heavily as flames grew all around. She burst through the doors, embers raining from the blazing roof, the stallion thrashing in his pen as flames roared overhead. Baby clutched Mom, gasping and sobbing. Mom opened the pen, Malanya leaping forth; she wrapped her arm around his neck, spinning up around him and then atop the saddle.
The stables collapsed—Malanya charged forth, smashing through burning planks. Cinders flying after his backside, the stallion was impeded by amassing rioters. He headbutted a rebel out of the way, the horse's shoulders smashing through several rioters in the way. Medilia pulled the reins; Malanya past the hobbled rioters and outran the rest. He turned then went past the town fountain, rioters and rebels fighting various town guards here and there.
The rioters chasing Medilia attracted more rebels, a crowd forming. Medilia spurred her heels into Malanya's sides, "HEYYAH!" The stallion charged down the narrow street, trampling rebels in his way.
Up above in the gatehouse, some fighting took place. A handful of guards held out, drawbridge down and damaged.
Malanya snorted, hooves thumping heavily; he leapt across the broken drawbridge, neighing. Medilia looked back. The rebels ran after her anyways, not caring about getting wet, the river slowing them down enough to create distance.
"The night will help me in my escape." Mom focused on riding...
Heavy clopping echoed. Mom and Baby looked back. Five knights, wearing horned helms, their horses' barding spiked, leapt over the broken drawbridge, trampling rioters in their way. The knights galloped after the horsewoman, surprisingly fast despite their heavy lorication. She gritted her teeth as they closed the distance, lances lowered, their destriers foaming at the mouths.
Unarmored, Medilia tilted side to side on her saddle, guiding Malanya to swerve about, lances spearing after her yet missing. Link clutched Mom silently, wincing as lances almost grazed him. Malanya bucked, kicking his rear legs up, knocking lances aside.
The knights growled, spurring their heavy warhorses harder. Medilia's and Link's eyes widened as two phantom-like riders flanked either side of Malanya, readjusting their lances.
Mom stood in her stirrups and turned her torso, Baby in one arm, sword in the other. A lance thrust; she parried it aside, then ducked into Malanya's mane, the other lance going overhead. The lances speared again, Mom leaning backwards, shafts crisscrossing in front of her.
The riders lanced aggressively, Medilia's catlike grace and motherly instincts overcoming the pointy perils. Grunting, a knight couched his lance, turning his horse to collide into Malanya! Medilia's eyes narrowed. Sword glowing blue again, she threw her weapon at the knight, Magic Power causing it to spin wildly. The pommel smashed the rider's visor, blue magic bursting, stunning him.
Mom unsheathed her dagger, blade held downwards. She leaned towards her other attacker, aligning her dagger blade down her forearm. This knight lanced; Medilia used the dagger blade along her forearm together as a shield, parrying the incoming lance upwards. She turned Malanya into the knight, too close for the knight to lance. She reached for the knight's greave, hooking her dagger around it, then pulling his foot out the stirrup and lifting it. With only one foot in a stirrup and other raised, and most of his armor's weight on his shoulders, the rider lost balance and fell off his horse.
Medilia straightened herself, Link safely in her arm, excited by the wild ride!
The next knight galloped forth, replacing the riderless horse. The other riders gradually began outpacing Malanya. Mom frowned. I can't beat them all at once...
While three knights lanced behind and from Mom's flanks, her agility keeping her from harm, one knight rode ahead of her. Turning back, lance held two-handed downward, he waited for a good moment and lunged.
Mom gasped, eyes big. She raised Link who yelped; the lance went below him, piercing Mom's sternum instead. She convulsed, grimacing. Unable to hold onto her dagger, she dropped it, grasping the reins so she wouldn't fall. The other knights speared her sides.
Medilia quivered. Sensing her peril, Malanya snorted then leapt powerfully, upward movement causing the lances to slip out her body. He slammed his front hooves above the warhorse's tail-guard, blunt force trauma traveling through the armor and into the warhorse's pelvis. The excess weight toppled the warhorse, Malanya regaining his footing but the destrier behind him tripping over the fallen one.
Grimacing, Mom held Link close. Up ahead, hope. The field widened into a vast hill, not too steep, but still an incline. Galloping uphill, the two remaining knights slowed, their barded horses panting, Malanya unbothered by the angle. Medilia kicked her heels into him, pushing Malanya hard, the stallion eagerly running like the wind. The distance between her and the pursuers only increased.
Mom sighed with relief. She grimaced, the pain in her sternum increasing. Frowning, she overcame the pain, returning to normal. "Another night as a mom."
The thunderstorm rumbled, rainfall severe as lightning cracked the skies.
"WAAH! WAAH! WAAH! WAAH!"
Mother held Baby close, the trio drenched. Eyes stern, Mom rode through the pouring night despite injury.
Eventually, the storm subsided. As she approached the eastern woodland, the rainfall finally ended, though dark clouds remained.
Mother wiped water from her eyes. She saw silhouettes faraway, the sounds of disorderly marching slowing going across the field. Some campfires were lit, the soldiers wanting to warmup after enduring such a thunderstorm.
"A real army would never expose their position in the night. That must be the main rebel army. I'll have to get around them..."
Malanya ran, dust behind him.
Baby kept quiet, too exhausted to do much. He just wanted to be as snug as a bug in a rug, anything to keep warm.
"Will I ever be able to find the woods from legend?" She checked her back; no villain knights or enemy scouts anywhere. She looked ahead. "It seems I am being followed by a shadow..."
Cliffs and a dead tree to her left, she was alerted. She pulled the reins, Malanya skidding to a halt. "Who... Who is there? Make yourself known!"
From a high branch, someone spoke, "You don't know me, but I've been following you for awhile."
Medilia looked up. A huge owl was perched on the tree. His facial disk, brow tufts and sharp beak gave him a regal, wise appearance. "Your son was born under a good constellation. He is very special... You are on the right path. Bring your child to the Kokiri..."
Medilia listened, Malanya calm.
"There awaits the guardian of that wood. The Kokiri call him the Deku Tree."
Mom frowned. "Deku Tree!? You dare to jest!"
He turned his head upside-down, malars looking like a new face, tufts looking like a mustache. He straightened his face. "Trust me. I will be your guide. But remember, only the Kokiri are granted entrance into the woods."
Medilia listened carefully.
"According to legend, any mortal that enters woods will become a plant..."
Mom sadly looked at her exhausted baby, Link too tired to keep his eyes open. "I must risk it. My son shall grow up in peace." She looked back at the huge owl. "So be it! Show me the way!"
The owl stared. Strange ears...
Distant thudding echoed.
Medilia gasped. "The villain knights..." She dismounted, walking around and putting her forehead to her steed's, closing her eyes. "Malanya, thank you for keeping me and Link safe. But now it is time for us to part ways. Make speed to Lon Lon Ranch, my loyal steed! Escape the knights for our sake, then go free and find your new home at Lon Lon Ranch!"
Malanya bowed, Medilia stroking his mane. Link woke up, sleepily chuckling as Malanya nuzzled Baby.
The stallion darted off, Mom hiding in bushes. The owl swooped past the knights, drawing their attention to the fleeing stallion. The five knights galloped after the horse, unaware he was riderless due to the distance and darkness...
And so Link's mother, with her son, entered the mysterious forest of the Kokiri. She knew that every step could be their last...
Her shoulders tightened, the wound in her sternum hurting more. She felt her blood trickling underneath her dress. My heart hurts so much...
She did not know when, but her feathered guide soon disappeared, leaving behind only feathers. She followed his fallen feathers through the forested dawn, yet, even those feathers eventually ran out...
"Every step could be my last..."
The pathless forest was lush, ferns and shrubs her only guides. Long ears listening, big eyes wary, Mom walked through the unknown woods, unsure where to go. She grimaced from pressure in her wounds, pain worsening...
Medilia stepped on grass—morning revealed a giant tree before her, his bark shaped into a mustached face.
The huge tree's hull groaned. "Greetings, brave lady!"
Mom froze.
The great tree creaked. "I am the guardian of the woods, the guardian of the forest..."
Speechless, Medilia looked up at the giant tree's woody visage. Some star-like fairies slowly flew around the immense guardian.
"I have been expecting you. Your coming was foreseen!" Despite his unchanging face seeming grim, the Deku Tree sounded eager. "Your son is the chosen one. He will play an important role in the future of Hyrule."
Mom looked concerned, Link's eyes opening but he quite fatigued. "My son? Perhaps you are mistaken? He is really a quite ordinary child..."
Mouth happily open, Link reached out to the Deku Tree. Link gasped; Mother staggered, severe pain in her sternum. Her pierced heart was failing. She lost her footing, falling before the Deku Tree. Exhausted, she passed out.
Link wondered what happened, unraveling his blanket. Something bright and blue hovered above him. He smiled, happily raising his arms and knees, wanting to grab that shiny blue thing. A yellow fairy nearby also hovered, a purple one with red outline above Deku Tree's uppermost right branch. The three fairies hesitated, unsure what to do.
Mom regained herself. She refolded the blanket around Link and picked him up. Groaning, Medilia stood on her feet, dress getting redder.
The mighty tree's hull groaned. "Trust me..."
Mom silently agreed.
"Go now to the village of the Kokiri. I will let you pass. But realize only your son will survive in the village..."
Even though the brave woman knew very well what was awaiting her, she doubted not a single moment. The fate of her son was more important than anything.
The pain from her injury worsened, yet she pressed onwards. "My son shall live..."
The yellow fairy followed nearby Medilia, but kept a short distance.
The mother weakened, falling onto her side, Baby within her arms. Link wriggled his head free, wondering what happened. He noticed the yellow fairy, who flew over and rang aloud.
"Look!" a redhead boy yelled as he ran, wearing a green tunic and pointed cap. A redhead girl, also in a green tunic but wearing a white headband, ran alongside him, her arms excitedly outstretched. "A stranger with a baby!" the boy squealed. Their fairies followed them...
The boy scooped up Link. He looked at the injured mother, his happiness fading.
"My son..." Forehead sweating, Medilia weakly put her hand over Link's knees. Her heartbeat painfully slowed. "Take care of my son... In the name of the Deku Tree..."
"It's alright stranger, trust us!" the boy stated.
Medilia's eyes closed. She slowly went limp and exhaled her last. "I... Trust you..."
A conical white light flashed.
"What!?" the two Kokiri exclaimed, the girl turning and almost running, the boy rearing.
The light faded. The mother was gone, a tree growing where she once was.
The Kokiri girl calmed down, lifting her arms and crossing them behind her head. The boy just stared, unsure...
"Whoa! What happened!?" the yellow fairy cried, flying over.
The two Kokiri's fairies shrugged. "I don't know, Felicia!" "She was there...then she wasn't!"
More Kokiri scurried over to see what happened, their fairies nearby. They huddled around Baby, staring back with big blue eyes, oblivious to the fate awaiting him.
"Ohhff, babies sure are heavy..." the redhead Kokiri boy admitted.
"Lemme help, lemme help!" A girl with green hair and blue eyes plucked little Link from the boy's arms. Link stared at her, shy and curious. The green-haired girl partly closed her eyes and sweetly smiled, gently rocking. Baby smiled, all smug.
The Kokiri chuckled. "Aww, he's so cute!" "Is he one of us?" "Can we keep him?" "Who has to take care of him?" "Not me!" "What if Mido finds out?"
The green-haired girl chuckled. "Who cares what Mido thinks?"
The girl with the white headband pondered. "But...what's his name?"
The girl with green hair paused. "What's his name..." She looked at the newest tree of Kokiri Forest for a few seconds. A fair wind blew, the young tree gently swaying. "His name is... Link."
The girl adjusted her headband. "How do you know? Or did you just name him yourself?"
The green-haired girl looked back at the tree, then to the children. "Oh, I was told..." She lifted Baby up, putting her cheek against his, Link wheezing happily. "Aww, he's so cute!" She held him out a bit, both pairs of blue eyes focused. "We'll be best friends forever, won't we?"
Baby grinned, showing off both teeth! His new mom giggled, holding him close, feeling their hearts beat at the same time.
"Come on, Link! You look so tired, let's take you to my place..."