Chapter 5: The Great Lizard Chapter 7: The Great Parasite
Chapter 6: The Realm of Music
When Link and Rana and their fairies had woken, they met with Saria near the playground.
“We need to talk to the Zoras next,” Rana said.
“Well, I don’t think you will be able to use their pool in the Lost Woods.”
“Why not?”
“It’s too deep,” Link said. “I tried once, a couple of months ago. I could get to the bottom, but I had no air left by the time I got down there.”
“Why don’t you take a short break? You’re frantically trying to complete this mission, that the princess gave you, and it is for the good of the world, but if you run yourselves ragged, you won’t do anyone any good.” Saria looked at him pointedly.
“Eh?” Link thought for a bit. His arms and legs had been aching for the past couple of days… but he hadn’t wanted to mention it to anyone.
“Go on,” Saria encouraged him. “You’ll feel better after a day of rest. I know what it feels like.”
“You do?” Rana chirped. “How? When?”
“Never you mind,” said their green-haired playmate. “What about that Malon girl you told me about? Are you going to visit her like you said? She’s probably wondering what happened to you.”
Rana turned a deep shade of pink and looked suddenly on the verge of tears. Saria patted her shoulder apologetically.
“Yes, let’s go see Malon,” Link said cheerfully. “We can wait a day before we see the Zoras.”
“What if they’re in trouble?” Rana asked.
“The Deku Tree was poisoned, and the Gorons were starving…” Naeri agreed.
“No, we’re going to see Malon. We have an obligation to!” Link said firmly, gesturing broadly. “Don’t worry about it. Saria’s right. If we rest, we can do much better tomorrow.”
The young ranch girl welcomed them with a huge smile.
“Hello, Fairy Boy!” she cheered. Smiling, she made them lunch all by herself. Talon was snoring downstairs.
“Do you want to see the horses?” she asked after they all ate. “We’re famous for them. We have a new filly, too! I call her Epona.”
“I would like to see the horses,” Rana said eagerly. As they passed the barn, a man with a very strange moustache came out of it.
“That lazy father of yours said he’d help muck out the cow stalls! He’s still snoring!”
Malon pouted. “Don’t bother Daddy. I’ll come and help you later.” She waltzed into the field, smiling. “That’s Ingo. He’s the hired man, but he complains an awful lot. I told him once that if he made any more snide remarks about Napony, he’d have to find work somewhere else. Then he started whining about all the hard work he does…”
She began to sing, and a little red foal detached herself from the herd of brown and black and trotted over to her. She had white socks with black stockings, and a white mane and tail.
Link stepped forward to pet the foal, but she shied away.
“I guess she’s afraid of you, Fairy Boy,” Malon said. “Don’t worry. I think she likes this song. My mother sang it to me when I was little. I’ll teach you to sing it!”
“Uh, I don’t sing,” Link protested.
Rana pulled out his Ocarina and handed it to him.
“Great!” Malon giggled. “That’s a pretty ocarina. It’ll work fine.” She sang the pretty song again. Link followed her, and Epona the foal cantered over to him and licked his cheek.
“I guess she likes me now,” he exclaimed, laughing. “Can you ride her?”
Malon snorted at his lack of equine knowledge. “Not for many more months. She’s only a few months old. Still, she’s the fastest foal I’ve ever seen.”
That afternoon was spent happily in the company of larger animals than the forest children had ever met before.
The next day, the children were running up the river, running to Zora’s Waterfall. They knew that the next Stone was in the possession of the mysterious, elusive Zorans.
There, around the bend and over the bridge, was an enormous waterfall. Stone arches, worn away by the water, leapt from bank to bank and from cliff to cliff. Link climbed up to the highest one, right in front of the waterfall.
“Rana! Come here! There’s a carving here,” he called to her.
Rana trotted up and brushed the mould away from the Triforce design.
“I think I know what that means,” she smiled at Link, who pulled out his Ocarina and played the princess’ pretty lullaby.
The waterfall seemed to slow; the force and noise diminished.
“I’m going to jump across,” Link said, tensing.
“You can make it,” said Navi, already inside the tunnel behind the fall.
Link leapt and somersaulted on the tunnel floor. Rana jumped after, caught the ledge, and pulled herself up quickly.
“Hey! Who’s there?” called a strange, melodious voice. Navi and Naeri hid.
“Just some visitors,” Rana answered uncertainly.
A pale blue person came around the corner. He was not much taller than Link, but very slender. The skin on his arms and legs had dark blue spots. Sprouting from his head as if it was meant to be there, which it was, was a long tail like a dolphin. Elegant fins fluttered from his elbows and hips. His narrow face, with its obsidian eyes, looked suspiciously at them.
“Well, dudes, you kinda have to have a better explanation than that.” Rana twitched in surprise at the slangy language.
Link spoke. “We need the Spiritual Stone of Water, for Princess Zelda.”
“Princess Zelda, eh?” asked the Zoran. “Well, I dunno. King Zora’s been grumpy – and anxious – ever since Princess Ruto disappeared day before yesterday. I’ll see what I can do. My name’s Shoza. Follow me.”
The children followed Shoza down the hall and turned right. Rippling light, bouncing off water, shone on the wall. As they passed deeper in to Zora’s Domain, they heard beautiful music. They passed many Zoras, most giving them curious looks. Shoza called to one to take his place at the entrance. Navi and Naeri came out of their hiding places to look around.
“Whoa, man!” Shoza jumped as Navi flew to take a better look at him. “What’s that?”
“I’m a fairy!” chirped Navi.
“Well, then you guys must be from the forest?”
“Yes, we are.”
“Wow! I’ve never met anyone from the forest. That’s so cool. How old are you?”
“I’m, Link, I’m twelve and Rana’s ten,” Link replied. “And we’ve never met any Zoras either, until now.”
“Cool. I’m eleven. I’m one of the doorwardens,” Shoza told them, puffing out his narrow chest. Then he deflated a bit. “My dad says I’m the most grown up of all of them, but… I still might not get you in for an audience.”
“We’ll manage,” Rana told him.
They began to climb a long flight of stairs. At the top, the tunnel branched. The lovely music was very close.
“Hey, there, Shoza! Where’re you going? Aren’t you supposed to be working?”
“Yes, Loma, I am. Here are two guests from Hyrule; they want to speak with King Zora. Important.”
“We’re on an errand for Princess Zelda,” Link put in. The tall Zora guard shook his head.
“Sorry, kids, King Zora’s given orders that only people who bring news of the Princess are allowed in. That’s Princess Ruto, ya know.”
“If we speak to him, perhaps we could search for Princess Ruto…?” Rana suggested.
“No,” said the guard firmly. “You won’t get in. I’ll just lose my job. Sorry, but see ya later.”
Shoza walked down the other tunnel with slumping shoulders.
“Life is so much harder with the Princess missing,” he confided to the two Kokiri. “King Zora being reclusive, and all… To tell the truth, only one other fella has come here in months. I didn’t meet him, but everyone saw him. Everyone heard him.”
“What did he want?” Link asked urgently.
“Lesse… He came last week, in fact. Wanted the same thing you did, in fact, only he wasn’t so polite as to say Princess Zelda’s name!”
Rana snorted. “That’s ‘cause she does want it, so she can stop him from getting it.”
“Huh? Sounds complicated. Why don’t we go somewhere where we won’t get overheard, ‘cause it sounds dangerous.” He came to the edge of the tunnel, where a sparkling waterfall fell into a deep lake with lots of other Zoras swimming and playing.
“We have to dive?” Link asked.
“I don’t really want to…” Rana said nervously.
Shoza winked an ebony eye at her. “It’s fun. You’ll see.”
“I am ashamed to admit this in the kingdom of the swimmers, but I don’t swim very well, yet,” said Rana.
“Well, here, then…” Shoza grabbed his head tail and pulled off one of the brightest scales. “Take that. It’s one of the magic Silver Scales that every Zora’s born with. Helps us swim. If someone’s in disgrace, they pull off their scales. Sign of shame, you see, not wanting to swim. Hey, Link, let’s dive, man. Bet I’ll touch the bottom first!”
Link and Shoza dove. Shoza kept his arms tight at his sides and his tail close to his back, but Link tucked in his head and his hands above his head. Rana watched. Link came up first, spluttering.
“Hey, Rana!” he called. “Come on! The water’s nice and warm.”
“Keep your body straight all the time,” Shoza offered. “Then you won’t bellyflop.”
“Coming!” cried Rana. The scale was hanging by a string around her neck now. She took a little run and dove cleanly, screaming a little as the water came up to meet her.
“Nice one!” said the young Zoran. “I think you need a scale too, Link. Now, let’s roll. We’ll go to the lake.”
“The lake!” exclaimed Link.
“But that’s all the way across Hyrule!”
“Not the way we go,” said Shoza. He humped over and dove, heading for an underwater gateway.
“I’ll wait here, for you. I’ll try swimming some more,” Rana told Link. Link grinned and followed Shoza.
In only a few minutes the boys were back.
“That was fast,” Rana said.
“I understand now,” said Shoza very seriously. “You’re in some deep trouble, man.”
“Rana!” shouted Link. “Look what we found!” He waved a bottle above his head.
“What’s that for?” asked Rana.
“It’s got a letter in it! We have to go see King Zora now. We can get in, too.”
They hurried up the stairs.
“You back so soon?” asked Loma. “Can’t you guys take a hint?”
“We can pass now,” said Shoza, “or at least they can. They have a message from Princess Ruto.”
“Here it is,” Link showed the guard the bottle.
“Whoa, dude! Go on, then, and don’t blame me if he kicks you out again.”
“I’ll wait for you down in the swimming pool,” Shoza said, heading to the waterfall. Rana waved at him, then entered the royal hall behind Link.
King Zora was the fattest person that the children had ever seen.
“Yes?” he demanded. “Do you have word of my darling daughter?” Link handed him the bottle silently.
The king took the letter out and sagged in relief. “It’s from Ruto, thank Nayru. She’s… she’s been swallowed by Lord Jabu-Jabu? That’s impossible! Well, since that Ganondorf came… perhaps not so impossible. This letter is dated yesterday… You! Boy. Thank you for bringing me this letter. Would you also go and rescue my darling daughter?” He gestured towards a small but decorated door in the wall. Link bowed and hurried to the door eagerly.