Zelda

Written by Fox

    'Oh OOOOoH, you made it. Well let my check again, will you?'
I turned and had a quick look, then turned back to tell Zelda it was a great Tapestry, and I loved it very much ... but when I turned my head, I heard the ruffle of purple skirts and knew Zelda had walked off.
'Hello?' I asked to the lonely darkness. It gave no response.

<p>I was now at the front gates of Hyrule Castle. I hadn't found Zelda again and King Barrabus told me she would be fine in a day. Also that I should find out more in the future, like who made something you don't exactly like. I thanked him for the advice, and set off for home.

Along the way nothing happened. It was one of those days where the beaches were the most popular locations and horseback archery seemed like a good idea.
If only I was old enough to have a bow and arrow, I thought. I'd be the best marksmen in the Hyrulian army.
As an act of compensation, I took my kokiri slingshot out and tried hitting a few bugs that flew close enough. But my mind quickly drifted back to Zelda, and how angry she had been.
Argh, if only I had've known, I thought. It really is a good Tapestry, it's only the size I don't like. I paused on that last thought. Maybe I can go back and tell Zelda? I thought hopefully, pulling Brin to a halt. I had left Epona with the Kokiri, as Zelda had her father's escourt come and collect me the previous night.

I kicked Brin and continued heading home. I decided it wouldn't be any good to talk to Zelda like she was, and it would be even harder to find her.

The rest of the way home, nothing really happened, but I noticed some bugs had come close enough to be hit again. I took out my slingshot and noticed that they were ... well I wasn't sure at the time, but they seemed to be the same bugs. One had a broken wing and flew on a slant ... But no, that wasn't possible. I probably didn't hit them directly enough to kill them, that was all. I kicked Brin again and had a short change of plan. My new destination was LonLon Ranch. I was going to make Zelda an apology.

'What are you doing?' asked Malon. I kept walking toward Brin with a jug of milk under my arm, and a smile on my face.
'I'm making Zelda an apology.'
'Making an apology? How do you do that?'
I thought for a minute, screwing up my face as I did. 'You just make it. You look inside yourself, and think what can I do to make it better ... and then you make what you find.'
I mounted Brin and put the milk in his saddle packs and noticed Malon stood still, looking at me.
'Or you can sing it, or shoot it, or do whatever!' I continued. 'Just as long as it's an apology, you can make it.'
Malon furrowed her brow at this.
'So if I wanted to apologise to dad for losing Epona, I could make him a pig out of egg shells and say it was my "apology" ?'
I smiled. 'Yep. Just make sure he understands it's a pig, and make sure he likes it first.'
Malon thought again. 'But that just sounds like you're given Zelda a present so she won't be angry. That's all you doing.'
'Seemingly,' I replied. 'But I put real meaning into this, and I know Zelda will love it, and I made it with pure intent. So I'm not just getting her a present.' I finished, sticking my tongue out for good measure. It seemed to work well too, as Malon's face turned red.
'Well, if you don't want any help with it, fine!' and she turned and walked back to the horses.
Not bad, I thought to myself. I've annoyed 2 girls in the one morning.
I kept smiling as Brin turned about to face the gates of LonLon Ranch and started again for home.

On the way home, nothing much happened. I saw no beasts roaming the roads of Hyrule and no humans travelling. I guessed it was too hot for some, and they had decided to stay safe and inside. Though as I turned the corner that lead to the entrance of the legendary Kokiri Forest, I noticed something crawling on my leg. My first reaction was to pull my from the stirrup, and soon regreted it as I fell off Brin. My back hit the ground and brought up a dust cloud, Brin watched from his spot and chewed some more oats I had put into his grain bag. He looked like he was laughing.
'Fat lot of good you are, horse.' I said hoarsely. I picked myself up and dusted myself as best I could, then began looking for whatever had been crawling on my leg. On the ground, I saw the same few bugs who had been flying around me on my way to LonLon Ranch. I had taken them out of the sky both times I saw them with my Kokiri Slingshot, and not only were they created to be precise shooters, they also garenteed to stun your targets. And here were some very odd bugs, who I'd hit twice with my Slingshot, and they were not dead. They seemed fine for all I knew, except for the one with it's broken wing.
I stepped on them hurriedly, and taking Brin's reins, ran the rest of the way to the entrance of Kokiri forest.

The Kokiri Woods. Fabled to be the land of Youth, I grew up here and have loved it all my life. The greens and fairies and people are all pleasant, and I don't think a fly would be hurt by anyone within these pure woods. Although evil had gotten in once, and it was about to happen again. I made my way to my house in hopes of finding Saria. No one said hello as I passed them, which seemed abnormally strange. Leaves crunched softly underfoot, Saria was just outside my house.

'Link!' she shouted, happy to see me.
'Saria!' I returned, and we ran toward each other. We shared a big hug and I got a peck on the cheek from Saria.
'How are you?' she asked, holding my hands.
'I'm good,' came my reply. 'And Zelda is too.'
Something akin to the slightest hint of jealous flashed breifly in Saria's eyes.
'That's good,' she said conversationally. 'What did you two get up to?'
I thought about this morning. And decided it wouldn't be any good to tell her I made Zelda upset. So I thought of last night, and could only remember falling asleep, as a storm had followed me from Kokiri Forest, which Zelda and I had started watching and fell asleep to. Something else I didn't think Saria would want to here.
'The usual thing,' I told her. 'Pretending Zelda was under attack, riding her father's guard dogs.'
'Sounds like fun,' said Saria optimistically. 'I'd like to try that one day.'
'Haha,' I laughed. 'You? Ride a boarhound?'
'What?' she said, hot with defence. 'Why couldn't I ride one?'
'Because I had a hard enough time getting on, rather than staying on.'
'Well. That's just because you're getting cocky. You think you can do anything in the world.' Saria retorted, putting on a serious face.
'Oh come on, I don't think I can do everything.'
'Well you sure act like it.'
There was a moment of breif pause.
'Anyway,' I started again, waving a dismissive hand, 'you're just upset because I said you couldn't ride it, it should good that I can do anything.'
'Oh yeah, sure. And I suppose you're going to stand up to Mido, next time he calls me for council and I don't want to go?'

As though the goddesses were listening, I spotted Mido coming this way.
'I will.' I said indefinately. 'and right now, too.'
Saria's eyes showed worry before she turned around to see me walking off toward Mido.
'Link!!! I wasn't serious!' she shouted after me. And while I heard her, I continued.

Mido walked brusquely toward me.
'Out of the way, Link.'
'No.' I replied sternly. Mido stopped.
'What?' he said, looking me in the eyes.
'I said "no", Mido.' The tension was growing between us, Mido was turning red.
'And why not?' he asked.
'Tell me what you're doing.'
'I, the great Mido, am summoning Saria to council.'
'She doesn't want to go.'
Mido's eyes seemed to flicker hatred. 'Yes, she does.'
'No she doesn't. She said so herself.' At that moment, Saria caught up to me, grabbing my shoulder.
'Link, don't do this! I don't care, really!'
'No Saria, I've gotta do this.'
'Why?'
'Because I've already annoyed 2 girls today, and I don't want to make it a third.'
Inside, Saria's heart felt pity and compassion. Outside, she showed gratitude and submission. 'Alright Link. But be careful.'
I looked at Saria with a look of doubt on my face.
'Saria, some credit, please! I'm not the unofficial royal escourt of her majesty Princess Zelda for nothing.'
Saria bit her lip. 'Sorry Link.'
'Don't worry about it,' I said. 'And now will you let me stand up for you?'
She nodded and stepped back. And screamed, as Mido came at me with his wooden sword.

Jumping back, I heard Mido shout, 'You're really pushing me today, Link!' After his thrust he stood still, fuming. I guessed that he was waiting me to react. I drew my sword.
'Alright then.' and we fought.

Jumping back from another thrust, I brought my sword in a small arc to strike Mido in the chest. He fell down, got back up. Slowly edging closer he had grim determination set on his face. I waited.
Closer, he feigned a strike, I raised my shield. It was only wood, true, but it would do against his wooden sword. He feigned again just as I looked over the top, brought it up again. Mido then kicked my shield. Not expecting it, I fell back and hurt my pride. Mido started laughing.
'Ha, some hero you have here,' he said to Saria. She cast him a venomous look and ran over to me.
'Link? Are you OK to keep-?'
I pushed Saria's hand away, got up, was angry.
'Yeah I'm OK,' I said. And advanced on Mido. He was mad, true. I was mad, true. Now we were two young males, fighting for a girl and if we hadn't have had wooden swords, my rushed strike to Mido's head would have spilt his skull in two. After the thud finished, Mido grabbed my forearm and butted my head with his sword's butt. My hat gave a slight bit of protection, but I felt it shudder through my skeleton. I brought up my leg and heaved Mido away from me, knocking his legs out from under him. He fell on his stomach, Saria screamed.
A small group of the other Kokiri were gathering around, wanting to know who won the fight. Some light whispers broke out, about Mido and I fighting for Saria's hand, but I didn't pay any more attention. Mido got up, brushed himself off. Then he ran forward with his sword held high, I brought up my shield again. When he got closer I expected a thud atleast, but Mido had taken advantage of my mistake, raising my shield too high. He kick my left knee, it buckled, burned with pain, and I fell down, dropping my sword and shield. He started laughing as I rolled around in a quiet sort of pain.
'Ha ha!' he proclaimed, looking around at everyone. 'I, the great and mighty Mido, have defeated Link. Now who do you-?' but his question was cut short, as I stood up yet again. I stared at him from my place, only 4 feet away. 'What do you want?' he asked, full of comtempt. 'Do you want me to beat you again?' I bent down to pick up my shield. Without a word Mido rushed forward again, trying for a cheap shot.
If that's how you want it, I thought.
I sprung up and pulled my Kokiri slingshot from my back, loaded a Deku nut and let it sing toward Mido.
For a moment in time, everything paused. Saria looked about to scream. The crowd began half cheering, half yelling at us to stop. The deku nut even seemed to slow down, spinning in half time motion. Sweat slowly dripped down my brow, as I watched the nut fly on, finally striking Mido right between the eyes. As his yell broke out, time seemed to get back to normal as I landed in the dirt, rolled to a stand, and found Saria was keeping me up. I looked at Saria, feeling somewhat beaten and exhausted and smiled.
'I told you I'd defend you.' I said. Saria smiled sweetly.
'Thankyou.' she said, then looked over at Mido. I looked too, he was out cold. A large red lump had appeared on his forehead.
Getting on my own two feet, I walked limply over to Mido's body, noticed the crowd was holding their breathe. I nudged him in the ribs with my foot, no reply.
I raised my slingshot, triumphant! The crowd than cheered, glad to see someone could defeat the great Mido, and they ... seemingly parted from this world. Don't ask me how, but they were cheering one second, I raised my hands again and shouted "I am LINK! The greatest of the Kokiri!", and got nothing in reply. It wasn't that they hadn't heard me. They hadn't even achknowledged me. The clapping had stopped all of a sudden.
'What's going on?' I asked, looking around. Everyone, everything had stopped, save Saria. 'Saria? What's happening?
'I don't know,' came her reply, as she ran to my side. 'Maybe something bad has happened?'
'Something bad?'
'Yes, the forest spirits told me. They said they were scared, and could feel a growing darkness, and, and-' but I didn't get Saria's reply.
'And what?' I asked, turning to her. Shocked filled my mind, Saria had parted from this world aswell. She looked at me with vacant eyes. Nothing was inside, nothing I could see. The usual green of the forest was no longer reflected in her eyes either. They were black, and her mouth sagged.
'Saria?' I asked, started to worry. 'SARIA!?' I shouted now, shaking her desperately. She gave no reply.
'Oh Saria!' I shouted, and left her to check on the other Kokiri.
No one had green eyes. All were black. No one answered my questions, no one responded to my touch. I was infuriated. And in shock. I was worried and scared and my world was spinning, and I didn't know what to do.
"WHAT'S GOING ON!!" I shouted in fury at the sky.

In response, a voice boomed like lightning.
'Hahaha. I, Raidrian, Demi-God of thunder, have finally come into this world!' The voice came from a cloud.
'Raidrian?' I said to myself.
'And with my presense comes the Shattering of the Seed,' the voice continued. 'The world will fall to my will, and I will become Hyrule's new tyrant!'
This isn't good, I thought. First Ganandorf and now this?
'Your free will must now perish, good persons of Hyrule. Then when my hoards come, you will submit to them.'
I cringed. This didn't look good. And I knew, somehow, that I would be required to save the day.
'Now to Hyrule, to kill the king and princess, and claim my awaiting title!' the voice finished, before a booming cloud above me began drifting away.
'Zelda, no!' I shouted. In a rush, I ran back to Saria and tried once again to wake her from her state, but she didn't budge.
'Alright, Saria? I'm going to Hyrule castle again,' I told her, and whether she heard me or not, I was on Epona and galloping after the darkcloud.

Storm clouds gathered and crackled with ligthning as I rode to Hyrule castle.
Inside, I found the castle guards were drooping and had black eyes. Just like the Kokiri.
Oh god, I thougt. I hope this hasn't happened to everyone.
I passed the draw bridge and found my secret water gate entrance. It was more full of water with the rain that had started pouring down. I wondered if I should really use it, as lightning cracked. But I didn't think I had a choice, Zelda's life was at stake.
I held my breathe and went in.

Water surged around me, pulled me back. My golden scale helped me breathe however, and I found myself thanking the Zora's again. I had a split second image of princess Ruto, but was back to reality when a thunder clap could be heard under water. It's boom had such a strength I could here it, and didn't want to experience it. I hurried on as water continued pouring against me.

Wet and miserable, yet fueled by determination, I leaped from the water spout and found the castle doors. I ran straight into the halls and began running down the corridors, shouting 'Zelda!' and hoping I wasn't found by any of the servants. I turned a corner and gasped. Winam was there, but he said nothing. He just turned slowly, eyes black, and looked at me on an odd angle. He groaned what I thought was 'Yes?' but I pushed past him, knocking the tray from his hands.

The carpet ceased when I got to the palace bedrooms. Running around a corridor, I noticed that water was seeping from my boots with every step. I didn't care though, and kept on towards Zelda's room.
'Zelda!'I shouted again, hoping that she would reply. I came to the last turn before her room, slid, hit the wall. My wooden sword and shield clattered against the wall. I pushed off and continued running into Zelda's room.

Finding it empty ...
Zelda? I thought. Oh no, she's not already ... Raidrian can't have ...
I think tears were welling up in my eyes then. I fell forward onto my knees, looking at the ground dispondently.
Why? I asked no one inparticular. Why?

Outside lightning danced across the land, thunder rolled across every rock and tree. Flashes of light struck again and again. And I didn't care.

Lightning cracked again, so very loud. Like it was inside the castle walls. Silence. Another strike, and then a small voice.
'Hello?' it asked, from very far away. Lightning crashed again drowning it out, but I got up, ran back into the corridors.
'Hello!?' I returned, hoping the lightning would quiet down again.
'Link?' Not so quiet this time, I could definately hear someone.
'Who is it?' I asked, running after the voice I could hear.
'It's Zelda!' I heard the reply. It sounded like she came from the kitchen.
'Stay where you are,' I said, as tears of happiness now filled my eyes. I was squeltching more water as I ran closer, but I didn't care.
'No no, I'm coming to you.' she shouted.

We ran for a minute more perhaps, as we kept missing each other and spotting ourselves on the opposite side of stairs or halls which looked down into the lower levels. Hyrule castle was very large when you thought about it, and I wanted to get to only one part. Whichever part held Zelda.

Which I found shortly after, as I was running back toward the door I had entered, and found Winam again. He was still looking at the tray I had spilled, not noticing I was there. He wasn't in this world either, but Zelda came around the corner.
At the same time, 'LINK!' she screamed.
'ZELDA!' I yelled.
We ran forward and caught each other in our arms. I was so happy Zelda wasn't affected. She was still here, and I could hold her, and hug her. Outside the storm raged but inside we didn't care.
'I thought you might've-' started Zelda.
'No, not me.' I smiled. 'Not the great and mighty Link.'
We both smiled again, just being happy to have each other for the moment.

'Well, what's happened to the Kokiri?' Zelda asked at length. She had that look of concern on her face which reminded me again of what she enbodied to me.
'The Kokiri are all affected.' I said. 'Even Saria, and she's the Forest's Sage.'
'Saria? How?'
'I don't know.' I said, shaking my head. 'She said the spirits of the Woods had been talking to her though, that they were scared. They knew evil was coming again.'
'Thats not good, Link. This is terrible, no one in Hyrule castle is save either.'
'No one?' I asked. 'Not even Barrabus?'
Zelda quietly shook her head. 'My dad was the first person I noticed. After him, I ran around asking for help ... but no one replied.'
'I saw Wynam before,' I offered. 'He had black eyes and didn't say anything, or do anything.'
'Black eyes?' repeated Zelda. 'Maybe that means ...'

Before I could object, Zelda had my hand again and was taking me to a room.
'In here,' she said, and upon opening the door she groaned. I looked into the room and saw twenty or so servants. 'You're right.' she continued. 'Everyone affected has black eyes.'
Everyone did have black eyes. Saria, Wynam. The servants.
I suddenly felt a little down, and just to make sure I was really with Zelda, I took her hand and said 'Zelda, look into my eyes.' And she did so, giving me the most confidence I'd ever had in my life. Her eyes were brilliantly colourful, and it seemed asthough rainbows were inside. So great were her eyes that I guessed where everyone else's colour had gone. Everyone who lost their eye colour had had the colour sent to Zelda. A beacon of hope and sanctity. Of purity.
'Zelda ... your eyes,' I said.
'What? Are they black too!?' she asked scared for a second. She ran to a mirror and gasped in surprise. 'Oh ... my ...' she said. She had seen the brilliance that her eyes now were. 'Oh Link. What does this mean?' she said, turning to me and coming forward again. 'They are as bright as a pheonix tail is fabled to be.'
'I don't know exactly,' I said. 'But I think you hold everyone's power. Their Will and their might, or whatever you want to call it.'
'You mean ... You think I have everyone's everything? What they lost, I possess?'
I nodded slowly.
'I think so.' Zelda than looked at the ground, in a sudden deep reverance.
'Well ... this means, oh, I'm going to have to be careful then.' she said finally. 'Link, do you think you could ...' but her question trailed off. She was staring at me intently. 'Link, your eyes!'
'What? Are mine black!?' I said, repeating what Zelda had done and running to the mirror.

I looked into it, and was lost in wonderment. My eyes were green as grass. As bright as the sun. As reflective as polished silver. They glowed with the power of the Kokiri. All of them. 'My eyes ...' I said, reflectively.
If Zelda held the power of all the people who lost something, then maybe I hold the power of all the Kokiri, I thought. It made sense after all.
'Your eyes are wonderful,' Zelda said, coming next to me. 'Link, do we hold the power of everyone?'
Again I had no answer. Not an answer I knew was true.
'I suppose we do. But what a great power. You have all the Zoras, Hylians, Gorons and Gerudos. And I have all the Kokiri.'
'The Gerudos?' questioned Zelda. 'But their eyes are black, and I haven't any black in my eyes.'
I paused for a second. 'Then maybe ...'
'Well why is it us two who haven't been affected, Link? What do we have in common that no one else does?
The answer was immediate. 'The Triforce.'
'And if thats true then ... Link, do you think that-?'
'No, not him. He's locked away in the chamber of time. He can't escape.'
'Then who?'
'Raidrian,' I said. 'A Demi-god of Lightning, he said he was coming here.'
'Coming here? To Hyrule or the castle?'
'To the castle, to kill the princess and king,' I knew as soon as I said that I shouldn't have.
'Link! We've got out of here!!'
'I know,' I said, 'but what about your father? What can we do about him?'
'Umm...' Zelda was thinking fast. 'We can take his staff. That way, his power will be with us, and his spirit is within me.'
'Will that work?' I asked, truly concerned.
'I hope so,' said Zelda. 'It's our only chance.'

The King's Staff wasn't hard to find. Zelda had taken my hand and ran straight to the throne room where it stood next to his chair, looking mighty.
'You take it, Link, I'll take your shield and sword to make it easier.'
I quickly dropped my gear and climbed onto the throne. From up here the staff looked red, while on the ground it had been blue. I grabbed it by the head and pulled. It didn't budge. So I pulled again, twisting now. Lightning crashed outside and Zelda beckoned 'Hurry, Link!'

A moments longer struggle and I had the staff free. I fell backwards and I it fell ontop of me, nearly pinning me to the chair. I could why Zelda had offered to carry my sword and shield, the staff was heavy. I slid out from under it, hopped off the throne and turned around. Grabbing the staff's head, I pulled it slowly towards myself. It eventually plonked on the ground, and I turned to face Zelda.
'Zelda, I don't know how easy this will be. It's very heavy as it is, and if we need to hurry ...'
'Don't worry, Link.' she said. 'I believe you can do it, so you can.'
I looked at her for a second. 'I don't know if I can, Zelda. I-' But my question was muffled by Zelda's mouth. She was kissing me, sweetly. I didn't struggle. God, only a fool would. Time seemed to stop for a second, but then the kiss was over. I opened my eyes and saw Zelda with a great smile on her face, and a look of fulfillment.
'Link, you can do it. You're the greatest Escourt I've ever had, and I don't think anyone would be better at the job then you.'
I smiled in reply. 'Really?'
Zelda smiled again. 'Why do you think I made your tapestry? Do you think any previous escourts have been made into tapestries?'
Zelda's little speech, plus the kiss, gave me the strength I needed to get things done. I sucked in my breathe, got ready for hell, and lifted the staff.
'Lets go then,' I said, and Zelda giggled before continuing.

She lead me through the castle. 'This is the quickest way,' she'd said. But I kept drifting out of the present, thinking back to the kiss. It had been so unexpected, aswell as wanted. We turned a corner and found the front doors.
'Ok, we're there.' said Zelda, but I didn't hear her.
'I said "OK, we're there"!' she shouted. It snaped me back to here and now.
'Alright, and where are we off to now?' I asked. I hadn't thought abuot that, and apparently neither had Zelda.
'We could ... well we could've used the chamber of time, but that would let him out.' said Zelda.
'What about the Zora's domain?' I suggested.
'Where could we find things there?' asked Zelda.
I thought a moment. 'Inside Lord JabuJabu!'
'Would that work?' Zelda raised an asking eyebrow.
'I suppose so,' I replied. 'Ruto got lost in there and no one could find her, except for me.'
'Well I guess it's better than nowhere,' said Zelda, still doubtful.
We didn't know anything about Raidrian, true. For all we knew he could've been watching us there and then, so whatever we did would be pointless.
'We could try the Great Deku tree.' suggested Zelda.
'No, he'd be affected too. And the bad creatures inside would take the staff anyway.'
'Then what do we do?' asked Zelda.
'We go with Lord Jabu-Jabu,' I decided. 'He won't let just anyone inside him,'
'Are you sure that's true? You got in just because you had a fish ...'
'I know,' I said. 'But Raidrian doesn't know that.'
'So we're going to the Zora's Domain?'
'We're going to the Zora's Domain.'

THE END PART 1