Chapter 2: Ever Defeats Its Own Ends

Link groaned as he opened his eyes and looked about his room. The cozy space had everything he needed. A warm bed, shaped straight out of the wooden walls of the hollowed tree trunk. A table and chair still with leaves that grew from their legs, to sit and read if he ever wished to. All of it alive and growing thanks to the magic of the fairies and his friends. But most of all, it held empty space.

"Still alone," he muttered as he looked down to his feet, jutting out from the bed.

All he had to do was ask anyone could make the bed larger for him. They'd be happy to.

But he wouldn't ask. He never did.

Twisting onto his stomach, he tried to push himself up. Pressure shot up his arm, an ache spasmed through him. His arm went limp and he landed face down back onto his pillow.

I guess a few more moments couldn't hurt.

He should get a few more moments of sleep, but dreams couldn't take him. Instead, he prodded his arms and flexed his muscles. Playing with the pain it brought. A good pain. The kind that told him he was growing better, stronger. That the hours he spent training the night before were worth it.

"No," Link said after far too long on the bed. "The chores." Another spasm twisted his arm as he got up. "Gahh!" Ignoring the pain he scooped up his shoes and cap, thrusting them onto his feet and head. Thankfully getting all of them in the right position before he tore open the curtain that separated his tree home from the rest of the village.

Already the other Kokiri children headed toward the fields or rookeries, some even toward the treeline and the shadows that surrounded their home. All of them heading away from the center of the village.

Link scrambled down the rope ladder, dropping the last few feet from the tree to the ground. Took a breath, then ran as fast as his wobbling legs could carry him to the village square.

"Morning Link!" Helvia waved at him, her fairy darting about her head.

"Morning Helvia, morning Deppi," he called as he ran past them.

She smiled at him before she returned to concentrating on a patch of grass before her. Green magic swirled about her fingers as the grass shrank down and spread out, covering a muddy ditch beside it.

"Late again, Link?" shouted Vernus as Link dodged around him. His hands outstretched over the pool, waving his arms like the wind. His fairy resting on one of his fingers, their magic flowing together. Twigs and leaves lifted from the waters and swished through the air before landing in a pile on the ground.

"Morning Vernus, morning Yulyu." He said without stopping. The last of the other Kokiri were leaving the square now, leaving only Mido sitting on his rock.

"Hi, Link. Wow, we're running," came a friendly voice. A girl with green hair jogged beside him. "Mind if I run with you?"

"Morning Saria, morning Junmi."

"Good morning," Saria's fairy said as it flew between them. "I don't know why you're running. You're already too late."

Link grunted. The last of his siblings had already left the village square. Well, all except one and Link didn't really mind making that boy wait. He slowed to a more comfortable walk, letting his sore legs rest. "Mido's going to make me do something gross again."

Lounging on his favorite rock, Mido smiled at him.

"Perhaps," Junmi said in her quiet little voice. "If you went to sleep at a normal time you'd get up early and get something better."

"Junmi," Saria said. "There's no reason to be rude. Though -yeah- you do disappear a lot, Link."

"I just- I like to go on walks. At night. It lets me think."

The fairy snorted. "Think about what?"

"You don't have to answer that if you don't want to! Just, try not to wear yourself out." Saria smiled at him, as good-natured as ever. But it wasn't just a friendly smile. It never was.

"You don't need to worry about me," Link felt his neck grow hot. Saria was his best friend, but she didn't understand how annoying it felt seeing the pity behind those smiles. "I'm tough." He said lamely, as if being tough mattered at all.

"There he is," Mido said as they finally reached him. He didn't even get up from his rock, he just leaned over it as though it were a bed. "Finally decided to get up, eh? No-Fairy?"

"Morning Dori," Link said to the green fairy twinkling above Mido's shoulder. Then he scowled and looked to Mido. "What do you need me to do?"

"Well, the only job I have left is cleaning out the cucco roost. You know how birds make a mess, everywhere. Enjoy doing that No-Fairy."

"Ugh, gross, Mido."

"Don't you have anything else for him to do?" Saria asked. "You had me doing fishing today. Why don't I switch with Link? He loves fishing."

"No! No switching jobs!" Mido seemed to think for a bit before his smile returned. "Alright, Link, if you don't want to wash out the roost how about cleaning the cesspits? I think a few of them are near full."

"Stop messing around, Mido."

Mido slid off his rock and stepped close to Link. He was smaller than Link, which wasn't unusual. All the other children were at least a little smaller than Link. He had noticed it half a year before, and Mido seemed even smaller now. "Who's messing around? These jobs need to be done. And don't worry, Link. You can just use your magic to make the cleaning quick and easy."

"You know he can't do that, Mido," Saria said. "Stop being so mean."

"Well, those are the only jobs I have left for you. Maybe if you had your fairy wake you up early tomorrow… oh wait! You can't!"

"Shut up!" Link lunged at the boy. His hands found Mido's shirt and pushed him. The child stumbled back and sprawled on the rock he loved. "Shut up! Shut up!" Link's fists smashed into Mido's face.

"Link!" Saria yelled.

"Stop it!" Junmi and Dori flew around Link's eyes as he punched Mido again.

"Get him off me!" Mido screamed.

Link brought his fist back for another punch and Saria grabbed it. Junmi and Dori latched onto Link's tunic and all together they pulled him off Mido. "I hate you!"

The other boy got off the rock. Blood spilled out of his nose and down his chin. He grabbed at it with his hands, and tears welled up in his eyes. "Look what he did, Saria. See? This is what he is. This is why he doesn't have a fairy. Because they all know he's angry, and mean, and not worth it. When will you realize the same?"

"Stop it, Mido." Saria wrapped her arms around Link's chest and tugged at him to move him away.

Saria was many wonderful things, but strong was not one of them. Link pulled free of her, Mido's words ringing in his ears. "Take it back." He raised his clenched fists and stepped forward.

"Get him away from me!" Mido shrieked and bolted behind the rock before sprinting away.

"This isn't good. This isn't good!" Dori squeaked as he circled once more around Link before flying off. Not after Mido, the fairy sped toward the Great Deku Tree.

Links hands shook as he watched the little green light disappear into the trees. No, no, no.

"Link," Saria took his arm. "I know Mido is a meanie, but you need to calm down."

His arms dropped. Why did I do that? All his brothers and sisters stopped their work and stared at him. He met Helvia's eyes but she turned away to stare at the ground. Wesso and Vernus had fear written all over their faces. All of them did, except Fado, who waved as though nothing had happened.

Link covered his face with his hands and groaned. No-Fairy Link who can't do anything right. No-Fairy Link, who can't control his anger. No-Fairy Link the useless.

"Link? Are you listening to me?" Saria gently pulled his hands away from his face. "It's going to be ok."

He couldn't meet his friend's eyes. He ran.

"Link!"

He did not stop until he was well out of the village. Away from his family and friends. Away from their judgment and their fairies. He arrived at his hidden place before he realized that was the direction he ran.

Usually, he was so careful to make certain that no one followed him. But when he stopped before the little clearing he could think of no better place for him.

The forbidden fog surrounded the clearing almost completely, with only a small gap that let Link get in and out if he ducked beneath a branch. When he first discovered the secluded glade it had been empty, except for a web of spiders that kept to themselves. Now, the spiders were still there, but he had filled the rest.

Hay and cut grass spilled out of bags stacked on top of each other far taller than Link. The height of a man, or at least, as tall as the fairies made them sound. Far bigger than any of the Kokiri children, that was a given. But twice the size? Three times? Who could say? He built three of the hay giants, though one had toppled over and spilled out into the fog.

Though they were nothing compared to his pride and joy, arranged resting on a rotted tree stump. A wooden shield, sword, spear, and a slingshot. All whittled by him over long hours. He'd even tried to make a bow, but after his third attempt snapped in his hands and cut his face with splinters he decided the slingshot would have to do.

He picked up the sword and headed to the nearest hay-man. He swung the wooden blade against the training dummy with a loud thwack! He swung again and again. Feeling the muscles still ache from the night before. "Stupid Mido!" He said as he smashed the sword into the dummy's face. "Stupid fairies!" He smacked it twice more times along its chest and shoulders. "Stupid… me!" He continued the unrelenting assault. Each strike more forceful than the last.

The last blow walloped the topmost bag. The figure wobbled, tottered over, spilling hay as it smashed into the ground. Link screamed as its insides scattered about the clearing.

"Link?" came a quiet voice behind him.

He spun about to see Saria ducking beneath the branches, Junmi fluttering just behind her.

"No!" Link dropped his sword and spread his arms wide to hide what he'd been doing. But that would never work. "you're not supposed to be here."

Saria's mouth hung open as she looked over the spilled hay and bags that had gone missing in the village over the last few months, and her eyes lingered on his weapons. "Is this where you go in the night?"

"Oh no," Junmi wisped to the shield and spear before fluttering over his now beheaded opponent. "Oh no no no. The Great Deku Tree won't like this."

"Don't tell him! Please don't tell him!"

But Junmi didn't listen to Link's begging, she flew back beneath the branches as fast as she could.

"I'll stop! Don't tell him!"

But the fairy disappeared into the trees.

"Oh no," Saria said. "I didn't mean to-"

"Aughh!" Link turned away from her and kicked his wooden sword with all his might. It smashed against a tree before bouncing off and landing among the moss. "I knew I shouldn't let anyone know about this place! You ruined it!"

"I'm so sorry," Saria's voice trembled as though she were fighting back tears. "I didn't mean to."

He needed to hit something! He bounced around clenching his fists. But he couldn't hurt Saria. The worst he could do was give her a particularly grumpy glower, before he plucked his slingshot turned his back to her and sent stones and nuts into the piles of hay.

"I'm sorry. I- if you want to be alone."

"No," Link grumbled. "You can stay." He sent two more stones into the pile.

Junmi would return with more fairies. And they'd take everything. It wasn't fair!

He picked up his spear and shook it, sturdy as the day he made it. It had taken so long to scrape down the entire length so it wouldn't give him splinters. And the sword, he remembered the first time he struck with it. How right it felt in his hands.

They couldn't take it all from him. They couldn't.

"Saria, can you tell me when the fairies are coming?"

"Of course," she turned around peaked her head out beneath the branch.

He could not save the sword, spear, or shield. His training glade would be picked clean. But the slingshot was small, maybe enough to hide. Wrapping the leather strap around tight, he shoved it down his shirt and tried to hold it in place with his belt.

"They're on their way."

"Thanks," Link turned to her.

She frowned, grabbed the front of his shirt and tugged at it, until the folds of his clothes disguised what he held. "There."

Link pulled her into a hug. "Thank you."

"I'm still sorry. I just wanted to see if you were alright."

"Mido didn't even touch me."

"That's not what I meant."

It still stung, knowing his best friend pitied and worried over him. But he did his best not to think of that now as the fairies flew into the clearing.

Junmi at the lead, but more followed, including one blue fairy that Link recognized all too well.

"I guess it's time to face my punishment." He broke from the hug. But before he could pull away Saria squeezed him back once more.

"I have a place I go sometimes too," she whispered, "If you want, when this is over, that can be our spot."

The blue fairy flew over his head and cleared her throat. "Link."

This time Saria let him pull away from her. He gave a sad smile and nod, before looking up to the fairy. "Navi."

"I hear you've been getting into trouble again. A lot of it this time."

"Mido was- yes."

"Well come on," the blue light fluttered before his face. "The Deku Tree wishes to speak with you." The fairy flew toward the exit, and moved about indicating that Link was supposed to follow. "He's very disappointed."

"I know," Link took a last long look over all his weapons and sighed.

Navi and the other fairies led him back to the village. As soon as he past the first of the treehomes the other children took note of him. Stopping and pointing. Whispering to each other. Some louder than others.

"What did you do, Link?" Stephi asked as he passed her.

"Yulyu," Vernus sounded as though he was holding back tears. "Is Link going to get kicked out?"

"I don't know," his fairy told him.

The hair on the back of Link's neck stood on end. He had not even considered the possibility. "He's not that mad at me, is he?" He asked Navi.

"Of course not," the fairy stopped before his eyes. "You just… you made him sad."

Somehow that was worse. He hadn't meant to make anyone feel bad. Least of all the Great Deku Tree. I'm such a disappointment. Why can't I just be normal?

He had his head down, staring at his feet as he walked. Trying not to notice what anyone else said. Then, someone took his hand and squeezed it. Walking along beside him.

He looked up, and Saria gave him a sad smile. He wanted to tell her she didn't need to worry about him. That he would be fine. But walking beside her made him feel just a little better, and he couldn't do anything but return that smile to her. Hand in hand they passed through the village. And if anyone else said anything, Link didn't hear them.

Even Mido, who stood by the water pool, said nothing. Dori flew about his face, cleaning it of blood still leaking from his nose. Link met Mido's eyes and the boy huffed and turned away. Forcing Dori to fly around him to continue his work.

That'll show him. He won't mess with me again anytime soon. But he didn't believe his own thoughts. Just as likely Mido would find new ways to make Link miserable.

"Good luck, Link," Saria said once they passed through the village mere feet from the Great Deku Trees Grove. She let go of his hand. He was the one in trouble, not her.

"Thank you, for- just. Thank you." Even if they end up taking all my weapons.

Saria gave him one last hug before letting him walk the last of the way alone. Except for the fairies that flew before and behind him. Making certain he didn't do anything else stupid for the day. Is this the only way I can get a fairy beside me?

The Great Deku Tree's massive trunk was easy to see despite being surrounded by thick woods. The only reason he wasn't visible in the Kokiri village was the ever present fog that blotted out the tops of trees and the sky.

Weaving through the trees, Link stopped before the elderly face grown from that gargantuan tree. It looked carved, but Link knew no blade ever touched the Great Deku Tree, he would never have it.

"Thank you, Navi," the tree's voice boomed over Link. "But I wish to speak with Link alone. Take the others and do as I have asked of thee." The fairy whirled before the tree's eyes a few times before she flew off followed by a dozen other winged lights. "Link, thou hast been fighting."

Link didn't know what he was supposed to say. Of course, he had been fighting. No point in denying it.

"And Junmi came before me terrified, thou hast learned the use of weaponry."

Link folded his arms in front of him. Just tell me my punishment and get on with it.

"My son, thou must speak."

"I did," Link wanted to say. Straight and defiant and let that be the end of it. But as soon as those words came out a few more stumbled past his lips. "Mido was being mean. I didn't mean to hurt him, not really. I just… I wanted…"

"Has thy fist stopped Mido's cruelty?"

"No." Mido said the meanest thing of all after Link had hit him.

"Then what has thy wrath accomplished?"

It felt good. When he hit Mido he felt- he didn't know how to describe it. Like his arms were doing what they were supposed to be doing. But the Great Deku Tree would not like to hear that. "Nothing."

"Thou must learn to live in peace with thy brother. To teach him his folly through kindness, without resorting to thy temper and violence."

"What about Mido? He's the one being mean."

"I shall speak with him in the proper time. Today he is bleeding and hurt. Tomorrow he will be account for himself. But whatever wrong Mido committed, he did not force thy hand."

"Hmmph."

"Now to the panoply thou hast been sneaking from thy chores to use."

"No! I finish everything I'm supposed to first. I promise. Every time."

"Dost thou mean to tell me, thou hast finished all so early in the morning? The wind is not so fast."

"Well, no. I haven't. Not today. Today was- I needed to go. You don't understand."

"My poor son. Hast thou not listened to me? There never is need of violence, nor use of the tools of war. Not so long as thou dwell under my protection. Where hast thou learned the shape of sword and spear?"

"I don't want to get anyone in trouble."

"There will be no punishment for them. But I must know how it happened."

"Promise?"

"By the grace of the Golden Three, I promise."

"Dwemi mentioned them when he tells us stories about the outside. And I asked Frai and Deppi to describe them better when Dwemi refused."

The tree trembled, its leaves shook and drooped. "My fairies should not speak of such things, to thee least of all. The stories are lessons on the pain of the world beyond the forest. How violence begets only war and suffering. Thou art not meant to desire to follow the path of destruction."

"I don't! But, all those stories, all those people and their battles. Don't you ever want to help them? It's like when Mido is being mean, I want to stop him. And-" He realized the error of what he just said.

"Thou cannot solve pain by inflicting greater pain. I have sent Navi to dispose of thy toys."

"No," Link stepped toward the great tree, but stopped himself from saying or doing anything more. He knew this would happen. But somehow hearing the Great Deku Tree say it made it real. He'd lose everything he built. He wanted to lash out, to punch the trunk of the tree as he did with Mido. His fist clenched, then he released it. Anger would get him nothing, he knew. He breathed out and tried to force the rage out of his hands.

But without that anger, all that was left was sadness.

"I see thy despair, my child. It is safe and natural to feel such things. But this is for thine own benefit. Feel your sorrow, learn to deal with it without lashing out in anger."

"Please father, don't take them all. It's the only thing I'm good at. I can't get a fairy to join themselves to me. I've tried casting spells and nothing works. Even the simplest ones that everyone else could do all my life. Please don't leave me with nothing."

"My son, I know thou think it harsh. But when a boy grips a sword, even a toy, they change. The sword becomes an answer to all life's ills."

"What if I just kept the spear?"

The Great Tree's leaves rustled in a chuckle. "Go rest. Do no work today unless thou wish it. Fish, speak fondly with thy friends. Dwell not on Mido but leave him well alone. On the morrow I shall speak with him. After, I wish thee to make peace."

"Yes, father."

"Now go. I have much to think on." The branches flicked about directing him back to the village. More forceful than Link had ever seen.

"Is something wrong?"

"A danger is coming. From the west a shadow grows strong. Outsiders will be coming soon."

"Are they dangerous?"

"Not to me. I have faced evils far greater over many centuries. But they will bring with them troubles. They will seek aid for their wars, as they always do."

Link's heart quickened. "Should we prepare for them?"

"They will not come today. Not for many days. The shadow still learns of me. But it is a clever one, full of malice."

"When they come, can I see them? I could hide in your branches. I won't make a sound, I promise. No one will even know I'm there."

The branches of the three dropped low enough to gently push at Link's back, nudging him toward the village. "No. I do not think that wise. Go, rest, and leave the outsiders to me."

"As you say," Link took a few steps trying not to let his disappointment sound in his voice. "I'll be good. I promise. I'll make you proud."

Once again, the leaves shook as the voice let out its short booming laugh. "Oh, my son. I am always proud of you."