The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of time - Part Two: The Quest

Chapter Fourteen: Princess Rescue

     "So, you're saying it's actually safe to be in Lord Jabu-Jabu's stomach?" Link asked. The idea that the Zora princess was in their patron deity was, well, insane. And horrifying, and slightly comical. Being swallowed by a giant...well, now that he thought about, he had no idea what their god was, but he had to assume it was a fish of some kind. To be swallowed by one whole was something straight out of a fairy tale. But then, he had fought against bug monster inside a tree spirit, and had fought a fire breathing land dragon. If that wasn't fairy tale enough, perhaps rescuing a princess inside a fish would top off his adventure rather nicely.

     "If it is, then shouldn't someone find her?" Navi added. The king shook his head.

     "Indeed, it is safe for us, but I do not know for any other race. Alas, I would do as you suggest, but my people are hesitant, for he is still our patron god, and only the priestesses would go before him, and they are fearful now, in his illness he has been acting strangely. I wait for my scouts to return to seek their courage in this task."

     Courage. That singular word had come to mean more to him than any other since the start of this quest of his, and even his magic was summoned by courage drawn from his friends. Now courage was needed again, for the sake of the Zora race, and the races of Hyrule.

     "Then let us go, Your Majesty. We will find your daughter and what's making Lord Jabu-Jabu ill and end it. If we do this, we can save not only Her Majesty, but your people and the rest of Hyrule, before it's too late! If Ganondorf is behind this, then we'll stop him!"

     He won't win this time. He won't take another life while I'm here...Father.

     You would do this, though you are a stranger to us?" The king asked, surprised. Link nodded.

     "Without a second thought. This is bigger than both of us, Your Majesty."

     This child is beyond his years, King Zora thought to himself. But then, He was Kokirian, they did not age past childhood, so how was he to know how old he was really? The boy was strong, and he had proven himself, by his knowledge of the ancient song and his tale. And he was right, of course, this was more than a matter concerning his own people, this threatened Hyrule itself. As King of Zora's Domain, Guardian of the Fountain, and presider over Zora's River, it was his duty to quickly address the crisis. There was no time to waste.

     "Very well, you speak truly, Link. I give you my permission to enter Zora's Fountain, and I charge you thus: find my daughter, and help our Lord, zora!" He shuffled himself aside to reveal a break in the gate behind him, opening the path to the Fountain beyond.

     "Take this with you as well, young man, a treasured weapon passed down the Do Bon line for generations, and know that your kindness will not be forgotten." With these words, the king removed from the folds of his cape an item Link recognized immediately: a boomerang. But it was not like any he had seen fashioned by the Kokiri. Those had been made simply with pieces of branches and bark. This was fashioned whole from a tree, and had been smoothed and polished, and decorated with painted stripes on both wings, a simple three stripe pattern of green-yellow-green. The elbow of the weapon was inlaid on both sides with a kite-shaped ruby. Link was glad he had learned how to use one effectively; he had learned how to at the same time he was taught the use of a slingshot, but had found he was better with the projectile weapon, and had hardly used one since.

     Hastening up the right-hand path, Link accepted the boomerang with many thanks, and after being advised on certain customs, he took off down the path.

     "Your Majesty, has anyone other than a Zora ever entered the Fountain? And to give your royal treasure so freely..."

     "None that I have ever heard Vann, no. But tell me, if he had not offered his aid, would you go instead?" No response was given, for none was needed.