The Legend of Zelda: Goddess of Secrecy

Overworld Chapter 29 - Winter Retreat

...somewhere else in the building. He didn't have to search long. An Anouki was in the house not far away. The sprite-like horned creature was reaching for a shelf above her. Link walked up carefully, asking, "Can I help?"

The Anouki jumped and turned around, grabbing her heart. "You scared me." She let go of her chest, and went back to her search. Link started to ask again when the Anouki grabbed the object she was after. She turned back around, saying, "You're one of those people the chief brought back with him, aren't you?"

Link replied, "Yes."

"How's your friend?" the Anouki asked.

"He's asleep," Link said. "But the chief said he was fine when he woke up. I thought I'd let him sleep a little longer."

The Anouki walked over to a stove in the corner of the room. "I would say so. He ate almost a whole pot of the chief's soup. I was worried he would get sick." She handed Link the object she had been reaching for. It was a bowl, now filled with piping hot soup. As handed it over to him, she he said, "I'm Freya, by the way. I'm the chief's daughter."

"But you're—" Link started.

Freya replied before he could finish, "Obviously, adopted. He saved me from off the side of the mountain, just like he did with you and your friend. But the chief doesn't have any family of his own anymore either. The first storm took them away from him..."

Link set the bowl of soup down. "You don't have to talk about it."

The Anouki smiled back at him. "You're nice. I wish things weren't like they were right now. It's nice having guests again. I wish we could have more."

"I'd like to solve that," Link replied. "But I can't get to the Water Temple."

"The Water Temple?" Freya asked. "You don't mean you're a Sage or something?"

"No," Link replied with a small smile.

"Oh, but you're the Hero! He had your sword!" Freya exclaimed. "Then you can do something about this! The chief has to do something to help you and your friend. If you could get to the temple, then you could stop the storm."

Link said, "The chief doesn't seem to see it the same way."

Freya said, "Well then, we have to make him see it that way. I know he's got something that could help you. I've seen it in the Big Hall. Come on. We've got to go and talk some sense into him."

The Anouki sprung up on Link's back. Link looked back at her as she settled. She said, "I'll slow us down. So, I'll tell you where to go as long as you do the running. Come on!"

Under Freya's directions, Link left the building and went out into Glenwood. It was brisk out, but nothing like the weather on the side of the mountain. It was an open village, filled with thin trees that reminded Link if birches, but they were smaller. Their leaves were a burst of orange and yellow as if autumn was creeping in. The homes and shops around the village were in the shape of domes and made from wood. They were all huge buildings, large enough for the yetis to enter. It made Link feel awfully small running down the street between them.

The largest building was the one Freya was directing him towards. It backed up into the mountain. As they got close to it, Freya jumped off Link's back. She shouted while she rushed ahead, not nearly as slow as she'd led him to believe, "Come on!"

Freya tried to open the door, something she could only get so far with at her height. Link extended his arm over her head and pushed the door open for them both. Unbothered, Freya led him on through the Big Hall as soon as she could. In the middle of the long room, a huge fire blazed. Smoke coiled up towards the roof, where it floated out two holes to keep from piling up. Some still remained, a light smoke in the air and added warmth in the process.