Chapter two
When I woke up, I was laying I bed with my boots on. It took me a moment to remember everything that had happened, and saddness washed over me in a wave. When I went to my window, I was surprised to find that the sun hadn't even come up over the valley yet. Normally I'm a very late sleeper, but it made sense that I would be up, seeing as I slept most of the day before.
As quietly as possible, I began to get dressed. I chose A sweater dress that morning, judging by the frost that had gathered on the corners of my windows. I left my hair down and without even stopping for shoes, ran out the door.
"Wait up!" My fairy whispered sleepily. I stopped and waited for her to catch up, then made my way across the meadow. The cold grass stung under my feet, but that didn't stop me from marching myself all the way to Link's tree-house. I put my hand on the ladder, but found myself hesitating. After everything that happened, I didn't know wheather I should climb up or not.
"You can't sleep either, huh?" A voice dragged me from my thoughts. I looked up to see Link had come out onto his porch and was staring down at me.
"Can I come up?" I asked, shivering as my breath froze in the air.
"Of course." he said, going back inside. I quickly scaled the ladder and followed him. Inside it was warm and dark, and it almost made me tired again.
"You okay?" Link said, his blue eyes filled with worry.
"Great." I lied, looking away. I sat on his bed and watched rain start to fall out the window.
"Looks like no adventuring for us today." He said, sitting behind me and noticing the rain.
"Who says we can't explore in the rain?" I argued.
"You'd catch your death out there! It's freezing!"
"So what should we do today then?" I asked, flopping over on his bed so I face the ceiling.
"We wait around here, wait for the weather to blow over." said Link as he laid his head down next to mine, his feet next to his pillow.
"Lame." I teased, but then instantly wished I hadn't. I could tell by the way Link sighed that he was trying to get something across to me.
"No, it'd be fun." he tried again. "Like a sleep over."
"During the day?" I wasn't sure exactly why I was being difficult, mostly because I knew he would want to talk about last night.
"Saria." He said finally. "Can we just sit around here and talk?"
"Of course." I replied with a brave smile. We sat in silence for a while, back to back on his bed. I knew what was coming, I had known from the day I met him, and now I was just waiting for those dreaded words to come. A sob threatened escape from the back of my throat.
" You're leaving, aren't you? " I choked out.
" Tomorrow."
I wanted to cry, to scream and wail like a little child.
"Listen," He half whispered to me. "I've been thinking, and I know what needs to happen. There's no other way we can stay together."
My heart was racing. He was going to stay for me, I just knew it. He would revoke his destiny, and we never have to part.
"Saria, I know how much you love this place," Link began cautiously. "but I have to be honest with you. The truth is, I need you by my side. A life full of adventure means nothing if I can't share it with you. I know it's unfair of me to ask you to leave everything you know behind, but I can't even think about leaving you behind. So what do you say, will you come see the world with me?"
This was too much for my weak heart. Slowly, I stood up from the bed and walked out the door into the pouring rain. I let the fat droplets wash over my face, camouflaging the tears streaming down my cheeks. I looked out over the treetops, searching for an answer in the leaves. I had always known this day would come, but now it was here and I wasn't ready to let him go. As much as I longed to run away with him, I could never abandon my forest. It needed me, and I was destined to protect it. This is his destiny, I reminded myself, hoping to find a shred of selfless dignity within my pain. What I found instead was a fresh wave of tears. I dropped down onto the dripping wet porch, letting my dress soak up the puddles. I could see no way around this horrible fate.
Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder, pulling me out of my grief-stricken trance. Link pulled me up out of the puddle and held my rain soaked face in his hands. Before I knew what was happening, his lips were pressed against mine, I was breathing him in. Time seemed to grind to a hault. Years passed between our lips, years of friendship and understanding and happiness. When we parted, I was breathless.
"You're going to stay, aren't you? " He asked, but in his eyes there was a knowing gleam that told me he understood. I nodded, my emotions waging war within me. He pulled me close as the rain fell harder and harder, I let my head fall to his shoulder. As unfair as the world was, in that moment I was perfectly happy to stand in the rain with Link, to know that tomorrow he would be gone but today he was here.
"You know," I sighed."No matter where you go or what you do, I'll always be your friend."
He smiled at me, letting a large tear roll down his cheek.
"I know."
