"That was close! Thanks Link." The deku scrub dives back underground. Saria and Link were at the outskirts of the Forest Temple, Saria wanted to see if there was a way to get a new guardian of the forest. "Father, you think he saw his death?" Saria missed the Deku Tree every day.
Link missed him too, although he wasn't a kikori, he grew up amongst them.
"Here, this is where I'm supposed to be." Saria didn't know why. They look up at the entrance. "It's hard to believe this was once an ordinary home." She trembled at the story Link told her, although he didn't say much, she felt the sadness and anguish of this place. "I'm glad you escorted me here, Mido, he can watch over everyone." She sighed. "Link, open the book, you can tell me more about Kenric, maybe he can tell us about our history." She sat on the ground while her best friend sat on her favourite trunk.
Kenric was confused at his diagnosis, he had no idea why he was turned into a child. At first, he thought it was pure jealousy, his fiancee, was a lovely woman. He wanted to go home to Termina, explain to everyone why he suddenly vanished, but he didn't; not yet anyways.
"Termina?" Sara asked. "Where's that?"
"Out there." He and his family have been to Hyrule a few times, his parents came to town to see a newborn Princess Lara a few years ago. They were currently staying at the Deku's Leader's home, the butler suggested that Kenric stay to see what happened to him. "My family, Asmi, they'll be worried sick." Naming his parents and fiancee.
"But how will you get there? It's dangerous out there." Sara had no idea where Termina was but assumed it was far away from Hyrule.
"I can catch a ride, maybe rent a horse." Kenric was a skilled horseman, he and his family owned a ranch.
"Well, before you go, can you escort me back home?"
"Of course my Lady." Sara giggled when he kissed her hand. "Oh. Sorry."
"That's okay." Sara blushed. "Before we go, let's say hello to the Princess." Sara wasn't a fan of hers, but it would be considered rude to leave without saying hello.
"Yes?" As Sara knocked on the door.
"Lady Deku, may I come in? I have a guest with me." Sara says in a formal tone.
"Just a minute." Both Kenric and Sara hear a shuffle inside. "Come in."
Kenric had seen female dekus before, but this deku was very beautiful. He bowed in respect.
"Lady Deku, I am Kenric."
The deku gives him a quick, but dismissive glance.
"You're not a kikori, what's the matter, did your parents abandon you?" She turns around to adjust her leaves in the mirror.
"EXCUSE ME?" Sara was usually polite to outsiders, but she didn't care about the Deku's snobbish tone. "Show some respect! He's a noble, just like you." Sara scolded.
"Him?" Lady Deku flouches off her stool to look closer at Kenric who was blushing in embarrassment. "Doubtful." She goes to sit back down. "You can leave now Sara. Tell your father that we say hello." The Deku Tree was highly respected among the Deku Tribe, although they and the kikori were somewhat related, they didn't interact very much.
Kenric saw how angry Sara was, were they rivals? He wondered. He bowed his head in respect.
"Our apologies Lady Deku. We'll be leaving now. Come on Sara, let's say thank you to Sir Deku and his assistant." Once they were out of her room and out of earshot, Kenric had to calm down Sara who looked pissed.
"How rude! We're guests in her home, and she brushes us off like nothing!" Sara was seething.
"Don't worry about her so much, it's not like we live around here. Come on, let's say our farewells to our hosts." He met countless nobles just as spoiled as Lady Deku. Her rude attitude didn't faze him at all.
"True. But Kenric, don't think all the dekus are like her. Most of the village's citizens are very nice and polite. Oh!" Sara almost forgot. "My friend, the butler's son. He comes from time to time to play with me and my friends. Unlike Her Royal Highness." Sara scoffed.
Kenric smiles.
"Sure. Lead the way." Once they said their goodbyes to the Deku Leader and his butler, they wandered around town.
"Doesn't your friend live in the house?" He saw the Butler in his room.
"Oh no. He lives at his own home with his mom and siblings. Sir Butler comes home from time to time, he stays with his family whenever he's not on duty."
"Ah." He mentally noted to himself to make arrangements for payment for his and Sara's stay, luckily his family's bank account was linked to Hyrule's bank. "I'll need a ride to the city afterwards, I can rent a caravan back to Termina."
"Your city, tell me about it." As much as Sara loved her home, she and her friends wondered about the outside world.
"Clock Town is busy, way busier than Hyrule Castle Town. Unlike Hyrule, we don't have royalty to rule, we have an elected government instead." He was the son of the town's Mayor, but he had no plans to run for politics after he was married.
"Sounds exciting. Modo elected himself as the Leader, although he can be kind of bossy." Sara wondered why he and Fara seemed to be withdrawn these days, they didn't talk much to their friends anymore. "He is a good warrior though, he is the best slingshot shooter in our village." She giggled. "Your lady friend, what's she like?" She wasn't a romantic, but she liked hearing stories. "How did you meet?"
"Asmi, we met when she worked as a maid in our family's home. For me, it was love at first sight." He smiled thinking about her red hair and kind eyes. "At first my parents weren't happy, they expected me to meet their best friend's young daughter. But when I saw Asmi, I knew she was the one." He sighed remembering the last night they spent together. "I hope she forgives me for shrinking." He stares distastefully at his own body.
"Don't worry, we'll find a cure." Sara hated the thought of losing her newest friend, but his own family was waiting for him. Seeing a small deku flying in the trees, she waves. "Hey!"
The small deku flying by nods in their direction.
"One thing I wish we could do. Fly." Sara was jealous. She and her friends were limited in what they could do. Both her and Kenric watch as the deku land a few feet away, his flower petals breaking apart.
"Sara, it's good to see you." Looking at Kenric, the deku offers his hand. "You new? Hylian I assume."
"Close. Termina. I'm Kenric." He shakes the twig hand. "And you know Sara."
"I go with Father to Kikori Village from time to time." Once they finish shaking hands. "What brings you to the village? The Deku Stage is closed for the season." The Deku Stage was very popular among the Forest's citizens, they judged the various costumes its visitors bring.
"We came here to see a doctor." She looks at Kenric. "May I?"
"Be my guest." Kenric was a stranger in this town. While Sara talked about meeting Kenric and why they were in Deku Village, Kenric looked around the small village.
"Ah." The deku scrub nodded. "Then you'll need mushrooms. My mask, I can lend you it."
"Wouldn't your dad mind?" The Mask of Scents, Sir Butler was very overprotective of it.
"Just as long as we bring it back. Come. I'll race you." The deku scrub dives underground.
"Sheech." Sara runs ahead. "C'mon!" She gestures to Kenric to follow her. "I know a shortcut!"
Saria giggles at the page.
"Remember when we raced with Fado and the others? Modo, he always threw a tantrum when he lost." She liked the story so far, the dekus of today were so shy. "Keep reading. It's too early to go home."
To be young again. Goddess, how I miss it. Cecily, make sure Aldith has a happy childhood. I want her to have many races as she grows up, I know you'll raise her right.
"Where did he go?" Kenric and Sara were breathing hard, they ran across the woods to beat the young deku.
"I don't know." Sara was looking around. "He usually beats us, maybe he got lost?" Sara doubted it, he knew every inch of the forest.
"He better hurry, I need to head to town." The Potion Shop was located in the town square. They waited for a few minutes, but when he didn't show up, Kenric started climbing down the small cliff.
"Where are you going?" Sara asks as he climbs down the cliff's roots.
"Back to the village. Sorry, but I can't wait. My mom, I have to send her a message at least, to let her know I'm okay." Deku Village had a postal office.
"Wait for me!" Sara figured her friend got sidetracked, wouldn't be the first time he forgot about her. Once they reached the bottom, both were surprised to see a deku flying in from the sky.
"He sure knows how to make an entrance." Like Sara, Kenric always wondered how to fly. When the deku landed, both were surprised to see who it was.
"Lady Deku?" Sara didn't think she was allowed out of the house without her handlers. "Did your father send you to find us?"
The deku noble looked startled to see the two children but immediately composed herself.
"Hardly." She gave both a disdainful look. "This isn't kikori territory, why are you here?" Her long leaf hair was piled underneath her hood.
"We're looking for mushrooms. The Butler's son, he's supposed to meet us here." Sara was looking her over. "Does your father know you're out and about?"
"Of course. This is our land after all." Lady Deku looked around. "Huh. I thought he'd be here." She mumbled to herself.
"He probably got distracted." The Butler's son loved taking off on adventures. All three waited for their friend, and when they didn't show up, Lady Deku waved them away.
"Go. I'll let him know you'll be back at the village."
"Are you sure, we'll be glad to wait with you...OW!" Kenric felt an elbow hitting his ribs, he saw Sara giving him an apologetic look.
"Like I said, I'll be fine." Lady Deku insisted. "I won't be alone, the monkeys are around somewhere."
"It's no big..."
"She'll be fine. C'mon, the postal office will close soon." Sara drags Kenric away.
"Are you sure she'll be okay?" Kenric knew the dekus could easily take care of themselves, they could go anywhere underground.
"For someone engaged to be married, you are very dense." Sara knew about Lady Deku and the Butler's son.
"To leave a lady alone in the woods, are you sure?"
"I'm very sure." Sara waves goodbye. "Like her dad, she has a very explosive temper. The wolves around here, they wouldn't dare make her angry." Lady Deku's handlers always were on their best behaviour whenever she was around. "Let's go."
They walk through the woods, but when they see an imp waving to them, they walk over to him.
"Sara! Over here!" The imp was bouncing around in excitement.
"Look, I can return to the village myself." Kenric was getting impatient. "I can make arrangements to go to the city." He had a few coins, hopefully enough for an inn for the night.
"This will only take a minute." Sara insisted.
Kenric reluctantly follows the kikori, silently asking his fiancee for forgiveness.
"Sara!" The imp waved.
"What is it?" Sara never seen the imps so excited.
"I found something! Follow me!" He disappears in the woods.
"Look, as much fun I had as a child, this part of my life is over. I really need to go." Kenric was tapping his foot. He was supposed to get his suit fitted today.
"Sorry about this, after this I'll lead you to the exit." Sara almost forgot Kenric was an outsider.
"SARA!"
"After this, I'll let you go." Sara runs after the imp.
"Hey wait up!" Just as Kenric runs after Sara, he finds himself surrounded by darkness. "Sara? Imp?" He shivered. "Lady Deku?" Where was he? Just as he was about to turn around, he found himself getting surrounded by dekus. "If you are looking for Lady Deku, she's on the cliff..." Kenric's heart turned to ice. These dekus, they weren't ordinary dekus. "The Lost Woods." Oh, goddess.
"Weird." Saria shook her head. "We better get back, the dekus, they warned us that the moblins may be awake." She and Link get off the grass. "Before we head back, let's pick up supplies for the shop, that way we'll have enough supplies to protect the village."
Before they left the clearing, Link turned around to look at the Forest Temple. Saria, her destiny was about to begin.