A Souvenier

Obviously, I'm not sitting in a hollowed out tree, writing this to you on a computer made out of twigs and mud. This is what happened when we eventually found our way.

I felt like Rayne and I walked for miles. The sky transitioned from pure, wild blue, to orange, then red, and finally a blue so deep it was majestic. As the stars twinkled to life one by one in the dark sky, we emerged into Kokiri Forest.

Rayne and I faced each other, smiling ear-to-ear like fools, and refraining from jumping for joy. We were so glad to be out of that maze, and to not have to become Skull Kids. "We still have work to do," I said. "We need to sneak out of here and get back to our horses."

"Wait," she exclaimed. "There's something I must do."

I already knew she was going to cause trouble. I waited with a hand on my hip for her to explain. "What could you possibly want to do?" I asked, genuinely confused.

"Well, I have always wanted to see the forest, and it is beautiful beyond words. There is a special kind of rose that only grows here."

"The Midnight Rose," I said, nodding. She had always told me of her love for those flowers.

"But I don't want just one. I want to take the entire plant, and make it bloom forever!"

"Can't we settle for a lizard or something that is more likely to survive in the climate of the desert?" I asked. Speaking of, I started shivering.

"No. I will have that rose," she declared.

She was so adamant, and I loved her like a sister, so how could I say no? The only problem was, the Midnight Rose, and a few others, were cared for by the Kokiri and guarded because of their magical properties. It was one of those rare items that could be dangerous in the wrong hands.

I allowed her to lead the way. Fortunately, sneaking was able to be kept at a minimum because everyone was asleep. We silently made our way to the far end of the village, near the exit. One of the houses, carved out of what must have been millennia old trees, guarded their treasure of roses. I stood guard, while Rayne used her sword to dig the rose out of the ground, roots and all. I was quite taken by another rare beauty, a rose that was the color of bursting flames. It was red in the center of the bud, and as it bloomed the pedals faded to orange and then gold. I plucked an entire dozen by the base of the stem.

This was one of those times that we succeeded as thieves, and disappeared without a trace. I could only image how upset the Kokiri would be in the morning when they discovered their roses had been violated.

As we crept passed the guard sleeping at the rarely used exit from Kokiri Forest to Hyrule Field, Rayne spun around. I tapped her shoulder, and when she looked I stared with earnest. I watched as she plucked one of the midnight black pedals from the rose and tossed it into the breeze. As it glided toward the center of the town of the Kokiri, it burned along the edges like a glowing ember. Just when I thought the entire pedal had burned to complete ash, the pedal exploded. That one big bang sent sparks showering on the ground, and each spark exploded. The entire open area between tree lines was deafened by the sound of exploding cannons. I snatched Rayne's arm and dragged her out of there before we got caught, all the while she laughed excitedly.

We skirted around the woods that flooded out of the Kokiri Forest, until we located the slightly used trail where we had originally entered the forest.

I still have no words for what I found there.

Our horses calmly waited. The fruits, nuts, and herbs were untouched. It was the person resting against the tree in front of the cart that stole my breath.

"Ganondorf?" I called, and approached him quickly. He looked up suddenly and rose hastily to his feet. I remembered the terrible feeling that I might never see him again. I nearly even forgot my place. "What are you doing here?" I asked, concerned.

"I expected you back hours ago. Such a meager task does not require an overnight stay in the woods. Where have you been?" he asked sternly.

Rayne loaded her roses onto the wagon. "I wanted to go to the Kokiri Forest to steal a rose, your majesty. I was the reason for our delay," she admitted.

Ganondorf barely believed her nonchalant tone. He gazed at me, waiting for further explanation. I cautiously added, "A Skull Kid may have played a part in our getting lost as well."

"You entered the Lost Woods?" he questioned, almost furious. "That was reckless."

This was not his normal anger he displayed at being disobeyed, or being the victim of Rayne's tricks. I had not heard this anger before, but I couldn't help but wonder... "Your majesty, I apologize. I did not intend to cause you any concern. My sword was stolen, and it was important I retrieve it. I did not want to cause problems by having to claim a new one. We entered the Lost Woods without realizing it, but I guided us out. I know the fate of those who become lost. Trust me, I would never fail to return home," I explained with deep sincerity.

I guess you'll have to keep reading to find out if my assumption that he was concerned about my well being was accurate or not.