Child's Crush and Sage's Love
"I'm only a child in body… But my mind is just as old as he is. My mind is telling me that I can still love him, but my body shows it's not possible…"
Saria thought to herself as she began to cry. She couldn't help it. Her feelings for Link had changed from a childhood crush to undenying love. It had changed, when Link had come to her aid in the Forest Temple, when Ganondorf had tried to kill her. Link had looked so handsome, all grown up, and very strong. It had made her heart flutter with the feelings of love she had felt seven years ago.
She looked up at the temple entrance where she, the sage of the forest, worshipped the spirits of the forest. The Sacred Forest Meadow had always been her favourite place to come to for anything...like thinking or playing her ocarina or even just being here had always helped her. No matter what happened, this place always had the answer for her.
Not this time. This time, the forest was silent.
Saria sighed and stood up. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she took one more look around the meadow before setting her sights on the way out to the maze that led back to the Lost Woods. But something stopped her before she could start walking.
"Saria?"
A tiny green fairy flew toward her.
"Oh…Tika…Is something wrong?" Saria asked her fairy partner.
"I hope not… The Deku Tree sprout had asked me to come and see you. There's something he wants to tell you. That's all I know," Tika said.
"Okay. I'm coming," Saria replied. She followed her fairy out to the Lost Woods.
"You were thinking about Link again, weren't you, Saria?" Tika asked.
"Yes. I'm sorry I left you alone, Tika. I just needed some time to myself," Saria apologized.
"Don't worry. I knew that you probably needed some time alone, so that's why I didn't follow. I only came, because the Deku sprout wanted to see you for something," Tika said.
"I wonder what it is?" Saria wondered out loud.
When they came out from the Lost Woods, Tika flew back toward Saria's house. "I'll wait for you back at home," she called.
Saria approached the small maze that lead to the Deku Tree's meadow. As she walked through it, her thoughts once again turned toward Link.
"I can't help it. It was just a simple crush before, but I can't change how I feel about him," Saria thought.
"Hi Saria! It's good to see you again," The small sprout greeted her. Saria smiled.
"It's good to see you again as well. Why have you called me, Deku Sprout?" Saria asked, politely.
"Saria, there's something that you were never told before." The Deku sprout's tone suddenly grew serious. His facial expression turned serious, something that Saria wasn't used to. It scared her a slight bit.
"You might want to sit down. It's a long story…" The Deku Sprout said. He took a deep breath and continued.
"It started a long time ago when the great war was going on throughout Hyrule. The sages of this land used to have Hylian forms. Each of them had to go into hiding, but not the refugee hiding. Three of them took the forms of the five races that existed in Hyrule. They took the form of a Goron, a Gerudo and a Shiekah. Two of them had to turn not only themselves, but their children into the forms of the race they were joining. They were a Zora and a Kokiri. However…" The Deku Sprout paused.
"Yes? Please, tell me!" Saria pleaded.
"The sage of the forest, already adult, couldn't turn his body into that of a child. It wasn't possible for him to join the Kokiri, the children race of Hyrule. All he could do was sacrifice his daughter and turn her into a Kokiri to protect her. Shortly after leaving his daughter in the forest, he disappeared and was later found killed. The Deku Tree of the past had taken his daughter and raised her without passing on this knowledge. Saria, you are the sage of the forest…but you were not born a Kokiri, like your friends. You were born Hylian…just like Link!" The Sprout finished.
Saria was awestruck. She wasn't really a Kokiri? A Hylian? Her? Was it possible?
The Deku Sprout sensed her surprise. "Child, haven't you always wondered why you always felt a bit different from your friends? Actually, in reality, you're not a child. You're about the same age as Link!" The Sprout said.
"Wait…if I'm truly Hylian…why haven't I grown up?" Saria asked.
"Saria, I told you. You had to take the form of a Kokiri. Your body couldn't grow up because your form wasn't changed. However, it is possible for you to grow up, Saria. To acquire the body of an adult. Would you like that, Saria?" the Deku Sprout said.
"…"
"All these years, I thought I was just a child… I thought I never could ever become an adult… Maybe now is my real chance… Maybe this is a new chance at life…"
"Deku Sprout, the chance to become an adult is the one thing I had dreamed about for a long time…can my body become that which it should have been?" Saria asked.
"Yes, Saria. Listen to me now…come closer and touch the leaf on my head. Close your eyes and imagine yourself, but older…imagine what you would look like if you are older…" the sprout said.
Saria took a step forward and placed her hand on the leaf. She closed her eyes and began to imagine what she might look like with a grown up body.
A green aura filled the meadow and surrounded Saria, although she didn't notice. The aura took hold of her body and lifted her off the ground. She opened her eyes in surprise and noticed she was floating and her hand was no longer on the sprout's leaf.
"Is this…am I turning into a grown up?" Saria asked in surprise.
Her body began to grow larger, taller, and a tad more womanly. Her clothes melted off her and the aura surrounded her body, everywhere, blocking anyone from seeing her at all.
At that moment Link came into the meadow, calling out for Saria. When he noticed the green aura, he froze but then he heard the sprout call to him.
"Link, you need not be shocked. It is Saria. She's turning into her real form, she should have taken a long time ago," he explained.
Link was surprised. But he decided to watch first and ask questions later.
After a few minutes, the green aura was starting to fade. A figure of a woman was crouched, curled up in a ball within the fading aura. When the aura faded completely, the woman drifted slowly to the ground and landed on her feet.
"Is this really me?" she asked, looking at herself.
Her hair was the same colour, just slightly lighter in shade, and it went past her shoulders. Her eyes were still a beautiful blue. She was only slightly shorter then Link. Her body was no longer that of a child, but one of a seventeen year old. She wore a green, short dress, that only went halfway to her thighs, and brown Kokiri boots.
Link just started in amazement. "Who was this woman?" He wondered.
Saria looked up to see Link, and her heart fluttered again. "Link… Don't stare at me like that! It's me! Saria!" she exclaimed.
Link's jaw dropped. "Saria?"
"You're not the only Hylian who was raised as a Kokiri, Link. As a sage, Saria is a descendant of a Hylian too! Only now, however, is her real form revealed," the sprout said. Saria nodded in agreement.
"Wow…" Link said, still looking at how beautiful Saria really looked.
"Saria, now that you know who you really are, you must know that the forest isn't your true home either. You, like Link, were always bound to leave this forest. You are, of course, welcome to stay but you may feel out of place with your new body. And Saria, there is no going back to the past, therefore no going back to your child body," the sprout said.
Saria took those words a little harshly, but she merely nodded. "I understand. I will stay for a while, but now that I've discovered myself, I do plan to leave." Her voice was unchanged.
"Saria…uh…" Link stammered.
Saria turned to Link. "Link, I'm sorry to have surprised you like this. I just…felt like I was ready to accept myself in an adult body," she explained with a hint of sorrow.
"Saria, you did nothing that you should be sorry for. You look…" Link's voice trailed off.
"Yes?" Saria asked.
"…Beautiful," Link finished. Saria blushed. "Uh…I came looking for you because I have something I want to tell you. Can we go to the Sacred Forest Meadow?" Link asked.
"Certainly, Link," Saria said. She and Link left the meadow together.
In the Sacred Forest Meadow…
"Gosh, I guess it will take me a while to get used to this body," Saria said. She wasn't used to her new height.
Link smiled. "I think it won't take you long. I had to get used to my new height really quickly, or I would trip every time I swung my sword!" he joked.
Saria laughed. "I better hurry up, and get used to this fast, then," She said almost teasingly.
Link laughed as well, but almost instantly his face grew serious. "Saria…there's something I want to tell you. I've wanted to say so, since I was a kid, but when I discovered what I am…I thought I could never tell you…but I wanted to say it anyway…" he babbled.
Saria tilted her head with slight curiosity.
"But now…seeing you like this…Saria, ever since I was a kid I've always liked you. But as more then a friend. I've had a crush on you," Link confessed.
Saria blushed. "Link… I've always liked you too. I've always had a crush on you…" she said quietly.
"During my quest, the only person I ever thought about was you, Saria," Link kept babbling.
"Link, you're babbling again. But there's something I need to tell you…Link, my own crush had grown to something else. Link…I love you!" Saria burst out.
Link pulled her close. They shared a warm embrace for the moment. Then Saria heard whispering.
"I just couldn't tell you because I thought we were of different races and you were to remain a child forever. But seeing you like this…you and I are the same in many ways," Link said.
Saria pulled back to face him but as she did, Link had immediately put his face closer to hers and he kissed her. She was surprised but she closed her eyes and kissed him back.
"I am no longer a child. I am now someone different. But as long as I'm with Link like this, it feels alright.
"This forest… I knew it had the answers after all…"
Saria thought to herself as she began to cry. She couldn't help it. Her feelings for Link had changed from a childhood crush to undenying love. It had changed, when Link had come to her aid in the Forest Temple, when Ganondorf had tried to kill her. Link had looked so handsome, all grown up, and very strong. It had made her heart flutter with the feelings of love she had felt seven years ago.
She looked up at the temple entrance where she, the sage of the forest, worshipped the spirits of the forest. The Sacred Forest Meadow had always been her favourite place to come to for anything...like thinking or playing her ocarina or even just being here had always helped her. No matter what happened, this place always had the answer for her.
Not this time. This time, the forest was silent.
Saria sighed and stood up. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she took one more look around the meadow before setting her sights on the way out to the maze that led back to the Lost Woods. But something stopped her before she could start walking.
"Saria?"
A tiny green fairy flew toward her.
"Oh…Tika…Is something wrong?" Saria asked her fairy partner.
"I hope not… The Deku Tree sprout had asked me to come and see you. There's something he wants to tell you. That's all I know," Tika said.
"Okay. I'm coming," Saria replied. She followed her fairy out to the Lost Woods.
"You were thinking about Link again, weren't you, Saria?" Tika asked.
"Yes. I'm sorry I left you alone, Tika. I just needed some time to myself," Saria apologized.
"Don't worry. I knew that you probably needed some time alone, so that's why I didn't follow. I only came, because the Deku sprout wanted to see you for something," Tika said.
"I wonder what it is?" Saria wondered out loud.
When they came out from the Lost Woods, Tika flew back toward Saria's house. "I'll wait for you back at home," she called.
Saria approached the small maze that lead to the Deku Tree's meadow. As she walked through it, her thoughts once again turned toward Link.
"I can't help it. It was just a simple crush before, but I can't change how I feel about him," Saria thought.
"Hi Saria! It's good to see you again," The small sprout greeted her. Saria smiled.
"It's good to see you again as well. Why have you called me, Deku Sprout?" Saria asked, politely.
"Saria, there's something that you were never told before." The Deku sprout's tone suddenly grew serious. His facial expression turned serious, something that Saria wasn't used to. It scared her a slight bit.
"You might want to sit down. It's a long story…" The Deku Sprout said. He took a deep breath and continued.
"It started a long time ago when the great war was going on throughout Hyrule. The sages of this land used to have Hylian forms. Each of them had to go into hiding, but not the refugee hiding. Three of them took the forms of the five races that existed in Hyrule. They took the form of a Goron, a Gerudo and a Shiekah. Two of them had to turn not only themselves, but their children into the forms of the race they were joining. They were a Zora and a Kokiri. However…" The Deku Sprout paused.
"Yes? Please, tell me!" Saria pleaded.
"The sage of the forest, already adult, couldn't turn his body into that of a child. It wasn't possible for him to join the Kokiri, the children race of Hyrule. All he could do was sacrifice his daughter and turn her into a Kokiri to protect her. Shortly after leaving his daughter in the forest, he disappeared and was later found killed. The Deku Tree of the past had taken his daughter and raised her without passing on this knowledge. Saria, you are the sage of the forest…but you were not born a Kokiri, like your friends. You were born Hylian…just like Link!" The Sprout finished.
Saria was awestruck. She wasn't really a Kokiri? A Hylian? Her? Was it possible?
The Deku Sprout sensed her surprise. "Child, haven't you always wondered why you always felt a bit different from your friends? Actually, in reality, you're not a child. You're about the same age as Link!" The Sprout said.
"Wait…if I'm truly Hylian…why haven't I grown up?" Saria asked.
"Saria, I told you. You had to take the form of a Kokiri. Your body couldn't grow up because your form wasn't changed. However, it is possible for you to grow up, Saria. To acquire the body of an adult. Would you like that, Saria?" the Deku Sprout said.
"…"
"All these years, I thought I was just a child… I thought I never could ever become an adult… Maybe now is my real chance… Maybe this is a new chance at life…"
"Deku Sprout, the chance to become an adult is the one thing I had dreamed about for a long time…can my body become that which it should have been?" Saria asked.
"Yes, Saria. Listen to me now…come closer and touch the leaf on my head. Close your eyes and imagine yourself, but older…imagine what you would look like if you are older…" the sprout said.
Saria took a step forward and placed her hand on the leaf. She closed her eyes and began to imagine what she might look like with a grown up body.
A green aura filled the meadow and surrounded Saria, although she didn't notice. The aura took hold of her body and lifted her off the ground. She opened her eyes in surprise and noticed she was floating and her hand was no longer on the sprout's leaf.
"Is this…am I turning into a grown up?" Saria asked in surprise.
Her body began to grow larger, taller, and a tad more womanly. Her clothes melted off her and the aura surrounded her body, everywhere, blocking anyone from seeing her at all.
At that moment Link came into the meadow, calling out for Saria. When he noticed the green aura, he froze but then he heard the sprout call to him.
"Link, you need not be shocked. It is Saria. She's turning into her real form, she should have taken a long time ago," he explained.
Link was surprised. But he decided to watch first and ask questions later.
After a few minutes, the green aura was starting to fade. A figure of a woman was crouched, curled up in a ball within the fading aura. When the aura faded completely, the woman drifted slowly to the ground and landed on her feet.
"Is this really me?" she asked, looking at herself.
Her hair was the same colour, just slightly lighter in shade, and it went past her shoulders. Her eyes were still a beautiful blue. She was only slightly shorter then Link. Her body was no longer that of a child, but one of a seventeen year old. She wore a green, short dress, that only went halfway to her thighs, and brown Kokiri boots.
Link just started in amazement. "Who was this woman?" He wondered.
Saria looked up to see Link, and her heart fluttered again. "Link… Don't stare at me like that! It's me! Saria!" she exclaimed.
Link's jaw dropped. "Saria?"
"You're not the only Hylian who was raised as a Kokiri, Link. As a sage, Saria is a descendant of a Hylian too! Only now, however, is her real form revealed," the sprout said. Saria nodded in agreement.
"Wow…" Link said, still looking at how beautiful Saria really looked.
"Saria, now that you know who you really are, you must know that the forest isn't your true home either. You, like Link, were always bound to leave this forest. You are, of course, welcome to stay but you may feel out of place with your new body. And Saria, there is no going back to the past, therefore no going back to your child body," the sprout said.
Saria took those words a little harshly, but she merely nodded. "I understand. I will stay for a while, but now that I've discovered myself, I do plan to leave." Her voice was unchanged.
"Saria…uh…" Link stammered.
Saria turned to Link. "Link, I'm sorry to have surprised you like this. I just…felt like I was ready to accept myself in an adult body," she explained with a hint of sorrow.
"Saria, you did nothing that you should be sorry for. You look…" Link's voice trailed off.
"Yes?" Saria asked.
"…Beautiful," Link finished. Saria blushed. "Uh…I came looking for you because I have something I want to tell you. Can we go to the Sacred Forest Meadow?" Link asked.
"Certainly, Link," Saria said. She and Link left the meadow together.
In the Sacred Forest Meadow…
"Gosh, I guess it will take me a while to get used to this body," Saria said. She wasn't used to her new height.
Link smiled. "I think it won't take you long. I had to get used to my new height really quickly, or I would trip every time I swung my sword!" he joked.
Saria laughed. "I better hurry up, and get used to this fast, then," She said almost teasingly.
Link laughed as well, but almost instantly his face grew serious. "Saria…there's something I want to tell you. I've wanted to say so, since I was a kid, but when I discovered what I am…I thought I could never tell you…but I wanted to say it anyway…" he babbled.
Saria tilted her head with slight curiosity.
"But now…seeing you like this…Saria, ever since I was a kid I've always liked you. But as more then a friend. I've had a crush on you," Link confessed.
Saria blushed. "Link… I've always liked you too. I've always had a crush on you…" she said quietly.
"During my quest, the only person I ever thought about was you, Saria," Link kept babbling.
"Link, you're babbling again. But there's something I need to tell you…Link, my own crush had grown to something else. Link…I love you!" Saria burst out.
Link pulled her close. They shared a warm embrace for the moment. Then Saria heard whispering.
"I just couldn't tell you because I thought we were of different races and you were to remain a child forever. But seeing you like this…you and I are the same in many ways," Link said.
Saria pulled back to face him but as she did, Link had immediately put his face closer to hers and he kissed her. She was surprised but she closed her eyes and kissed him back.
"I am no longer a child. I am now someone different. But as long as I'm with Link like this, it feels alright.
"This forest… I knew it had the answers after all…"
