Chapter 7

   

"Are you OK, Sheik?" Impa asked Zelda, who hadn't spoke much since the loss of her beloved horses to the angry sea. Zelda merely nodded, and pulled out the lute, the only thing that survived the horrible night before, save for some rupees. She plucked the strings, sounding out the Requiem of Spirit. She thought it was the most proper tribute she could give Aimee and Giara. She felt as if a dark cloud had settled, though the sun shone bright. Impa gave the innkeeper a red rupee, and she and Zelda stepped out into the streets of Darunia. They crossed the square, standing out greatly with Impa in her armor, and Zelda in a blue jumpsuit with a sleeveless top over it, in leiu of long dresses. Zelda paid no mind to the busy bustling about her, as she and Impa stepped onto the lonely field.

"Sheik, you must get on with your life. Aimee and Giara were old. I miss them too, but you have to let go." Impa said, a tear in the corner of her amber eye. Zelda began to weep.

"I know, but I can't help thinking of how they would search your pockets for a treat, and how Aimee actually saved my life, by getting us away from the castle!" She snuffled, and they continued to walk in silence.

***

    "Kakariko." Impa said, with a flourish as they entered through the gates the sun sank below Death Mountain. Zelda gasped. She had never seen Kakariko as a child, and she exclaimed;

"It's bigger than Hyrule Castle Town!"

"That's because it's grown since Hyrule Castle Town's destruction." Impa replied, adding; "I founded Kakariko.." Zelda was about to reply, but suddenly, she gasped, and her vision faded rapidly in a haze. Her vision cleared seconds later, but she wasn't in Kakariko Village anymore. She saw Zora's Domain, but no Zora children splashed in it's waters. No daring teenagers dove off the waterfall. At first, Zelda could not see why, but then it hit her. Zora's Domain was frozen solid!!!!! Even the waterfall was frozen. A thin, shivering cry for help pierced the frigid air. It wailed piteously, and the Zora's teeth were obviously chattering. But where were the other Zoras? Aaaah! Zelda realized quickly. Under the ice. But what could she do?

A sharp, acrid stench filled Zelda's nostrils, bringing tears to her eyes. She sat up, choking for breath, to see Impa's worried face gazing at her. Smelling salts were in her hand.

"Sheik, are you OK?" Impa asked as other villagers crowded around Zelda's pallet. She was in a house, but whose?

"Where am I?" Zelda asked.

"Sheik, this was my house before I left for the Castle." Impa said as the other villagers asked questions.

"Who is she....Will she be OK?" They asked.

"She is my daughter, Sheik." Impa said, " and she needs her rest, so goodnight." The villagers left.

"Zelda, what was the vision about?" Impa said in a hoarse whisper when the villagers left.

"Impa, Zora's Domain is frozen!!!! And someone is crying for help. I've gotta go free them!" Zelda cried. Impa replied;

"Go, then, tomorrow morning."

***

    Zelda rose with the cucco's crow the next day. Saying goodbye to Impa, and packing some keese wings for a midday meal, she set out about 7:00, and headed east towards the Zora civilization. It wasn't hard, she just followed the river. But halfway up the river, the sky darkened, and snowflakes to fall. Zelda leapt across narrow parts of the river, avoiding the Oktorok's pebbles they spit, until she reached the waterfall that covered the Domain. Measuring the distance carefully, Zelda leapt across the gap, through the waterfall, and into the Domain, which was just how she envisioned it. Everything was frozen solid, and Zelda gingerly stepped onto the thick ice. Beneath her, she saw a Zora, deep in the ice, obviously frozen while trying to swim fast for the surface. She then heard cries for help again. Following them, she was led to a deep part near the waterfall, where a Zora head protruded above the ice.. the Zora Princess, Ruto! Zelda quickly rushed over.

"I'll get you out, Princess." She said.

"H-help-p m-me p-please." Ruto chattered her teeth. Zelda looked for a crack in the ice from which she could pry Ruto out, but there was none. There was only one solution, and Zelda had not wanted to have to use it. Pulling off her glove, she looked on the back of her hand. The Triforce mark shone faintly. She put it to the ice, concentrating on shattering the ice. The ice around Ruto glowed red, and melted away just enough to free the Zora Princess. Zelda pulled Ruto out, and wrapped a woollen cloak around her.

"Thank you.. uhhh ...who are you, anyway?" Ruto was shivering less violently now. Zelda panicked. Should she give Ruto her real identity?

"Do you want the truth or a lie?" Zelda said, grinning.

"The truth, of course." Ruto said. Zelda sighed, and pulled off her hood.

"Don't tell anyone." Ruto shook her head. Zelda sighed again. "I'm Princess Zelda." Ruto gasped.

"Zelda?" She studied her face. "It is you! I can tell from the time our fathers were having some treaty made....." She grew sombre. "Everyone said you'd been killed...I'm glad you're alive. Thank you for saving me."

"You're welcome. What caused this?" Zelda asked.

" A week ago, a strange monster surrounded in goo came from Zora's Fountain. It surrounded my father, and he was imprisoned in some type of crystal....I dove off the waterfall to warn everyone else, because I saw the goo freeze the water, but as I landed in the water, the water began to freeze. I swam to the surface as fast as I could, but I got stuck as soon as my head popped out....I think the others are alive...just hibernated, but I don't know about my da. Come see." Ruto led Zelda up some stone steps, and Zelda saw King Zora- just as Ruto described. Zelda ran up on the throne to inspect the crystal.

"Red ice.....Heat won't melt it.....Only Blue Fire can, but you can only get it in that cavern in the fountain....."

"Who can get it?" Ruto asked. "Wait, my fiancee Link could!"

"He's your fiancee?" Zelda asked, a bit bitter about this.

"Yup....He could also go kill the monster so this place would unfreeze!" Ruto said. "Does he still live in the forest? The monster's in the Water Temple now.''

"No, he opened the Door of Time, and is sleeping in the Sacred Realm for another two moons."

"No wonder he never came back!!!!!" Ruto said.

"I'll tell him to go the Temple. You go on ahead." Zelda said. Ruto went to the waterfall with Zelda, and after a goodbye, she swam down the river like a shot. Zelda then headed back to Kakariko.

***

    That night, Zelda had a dream that Link gave her back the Ocarina, and she sent him back to his childhood. Afterwards, she vowed never to do that to Link.

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