Drabble #53
Nov. 4th, 2009 06:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sagesariaPrompt: #46: Grateful
Fandom: Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Genre: General
Rating: PG
Notes: A story about Link’s mother. I think the end and/or the dialogue could be better, but I’m really proud of the atmosphere of this one.
The fire, thankfully had not reached these trees. Certain she was safe, the woman stopped to catch her breath, leaning against a thick tree, her legs shaking from the long run. Blood stained her white night gown, trailing down the dark wood that supported her.
The bundle in her arms squirmed a little. She adjusted her hold, gently soothing her newborn baby back to sleep as she kept walking. She tread slowly, cautiously, feeling an unseen, unblinking gaze on her within the trees. She already knew she was not supposed to be here.
Her legs threatened to buckle with every step, her whole body aching. But as she could still hear the cries of war behind her, she pressed on, step after agonizing, trembling step. Only her most primal, subconscious instincts guided her; the trees of this uncharted, forbidden woods were far too thick for any of her other senses to be of any help. The aura around her swelled as she continued. There was magic here, like none other she had known, and as she felt she clutched her child tighter, refusing to let fear show in her eyes.
At last the woods parted, and as she padded lamely through the hollowed tree that created a tunnel, she came upon a clearing, and there she saw the largest tree she had ever set eyes upon. Its branches crowned the surrounding woods, allowing scant beams of the sun through its leaves, the only other light from the tiny glowing creatures that circled overhead…they couldn’t be fireflies? Its roots, thick and unscaleable, seemed to embrace everything around it, and the enormous trunk seemed to stare ahead silently, as though it had a face.
By the Goddesses, she thought, It must be as old as Hyrule itself.
Her body trembled, this time with awe, as the aura grew more at the sight of this great tree. Then suddenly she started as a voice that wasn’t her own sounded in her ears.
Who is it that enters my forest?
The voice was low and strong, and made her head pound as spoke. The authority behind it frightened her so, she almost turned and ran from the woods, but found herself frozen where she stood. She looked around her, finding nobody who could have said that, and almost opened her mouth to ask “Who’s there?” when it spoke again.
“You, young woman…you come from Hyrule village, do you not? Why do you come to the Great Deku Tree, guardian of Kokiri Forest?”
The tree? Her eyes fell again on the mysterious face, cradling her swaddled baby closer.
“Please, my lord,” she answered timidly, not knowing another way to address the being before her, “I mean no harm, I only seek shelter from--”
“Fear not, milady. Fate has brought you through the Lost Woods safely, I will not drive you away.”
Her eyes flickered with relief, even as the voice continued to overpower her.
“Come closer, lady.”
Hesitantly, gradually, she approached. The glowing lights above swooped down as she came closer, circling her. She watched as they did, catching glimpses of delicate wings and hearing a faint, swift chime as they passed her ears, and as her baby cooed and extended its arms at them she realized that they indeed were not fireflies at all, but fairies. She watched them dance around her in awe…she never thought she would ever see one with her own eyes, let alone a swarm of them.
But as she approached the towering tree, her legs finally gave, and she fell to her knees, dizzy from the accumulating loss of blood.
“I…I have no time left…” she knew it was inevitable, but with its arrival a panic overcame her, “M-my son…”
The fairies surrounded her again, this time seeming to watch the boy in her arms. Their warm glow lit his face, reflecting in his wide, curious eyes. There was a low, thoughtful rumble from the Great Deku Tree.
“The boy…I sense great potential in him…there lies the reason you were brought to me.”
“He’s all I have in the world…I-I can’t leave him alone…”
“Ease your worries, lady. Your son may live here.”
Her tear filled eyes raised to him, “Here?”
“My children will look after him. He will be safe in my woods.”
Again she felt like she was being watched, and as she looked up she saw by whom. Four children were sitting in the Deku Tree’s branches. Two boys and two girls, all of them hardly of age, almost hidden in the dark as their green, tattered clothing blended into the leaves. They stared down at the woman and her baby, eyes wide and curious.
“Come, rest yourself in my shade. No harm will come to the boy here. I promise.”
With the sincerity behind those words she was soothed. Slowly she crawled closer, no longer able to walk. Blood trailed in the grass beneath her. Finally she reached the solid roots of the Deku Tree, and there she rested, leaning on the supporting, almost comforting wood. Curling against it, she held her son close, giving him one final kiss on the forehead. The fairies circled around her in their comforting light, and the children in the tree slowly climbed down, watching quietly.
“Thank you.” she whispered, her breath slow and scarce.
Fandom: Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Genre: General
Rating: PG
Notes: A story about Link’s mother. I think the end and/or the dialogue could be better, but I’m really proud of the atmosphere of this one.
The fire, thankfully had not reached these trees. Certain she was safe, the woman stopped to catch her breath, leaning against a thick tree, her legs shaking from the long run. Blood stained her white night gown, trailing down the dark wood that supported her.
The bundle in her arms squirmed a little. She adjusted her hold, gently soothing her newborn baby back to sleep as she kept walking. She tread slowly, cautiously, feeling an unseen, unblinking gaze on her within the trees. She already knew she was not supposed to be here.
Her legs threatened to buckle with every step, her whole body aching. But as she could still hear the cries of war behind her, she pressed on, step after agonizing, trembling step. Only her most primal, subconscious instincts guided her; the trees of this uncharted, forbidden woods were far too thick for any of her other senses to be of any help. The aura around her swelled as she continued. There was magic here, like none other she had known, and as she felt she clutched her child tighter, refusing to let fear show in her eyes.
At last the woods parted, and as she padded lamely through the hollowed tree that created a tunnel, she came upon a clearing, and there she saw the largest tree she had ever set eyes upon. Its branches crowned the surrounding woods, allowing scant beams of the sun through its leaves, the only other light from the tiny glowing creatures that circled overhead…they couldn’t be fireflies? Its roots, thick and unscaleable, seemed to embrace everything around it, and the enormous trunk seemed to stare ahead silently, as though it had a face.
By the Goddesses, she thought, It must be as old as Hyrule itself.
Her body trembled, this time with awe, as the aura grew more at the sight of this great tree. Then suddenly she started as a voice that wasn’t her own sounded in her ears.
Who is it that enters my forest?
The voice was low and strong, and made her head pound as spoke. The authority behind it frightened her so, she almost turned and ran from the woods, but found herself frozen where she stood. She looked around her, finding nobody who could have said that, and almost opened her mouth to ask “Who’s there?” when it spoke again.
“You, young woman…you come from Hyrule village, do you not? Why do you come to the Great Deku Tree, guardian of Kokiri Forest?”
The tree? Her eyes fell again on the mysterious face, cradling her swaddled baby closer.
“Please, my lord,” she answered timidly, not knowing another way to address the being before her, “I mean no harm, I only seek shelter from--”
“Fear not, milady. Fate has brought you through the Lost Woods safely, I will not drive you away.”
Her eyes flickered with relief, even as the voice continued to overpower her.
“Come closer, lady.”
Hesitantly, gradually, she approached. The glowing lights above swooped down as she came closer, circling her. She watched as they did, catching glimpses of delicate wings and hearing a faint, swift chime as they passed her ears, and as her baby cooed and extended its arms at them she realized that they indeed were not fireflies at all, but fairies. She watched them dance around her in awe…she never thought she would ever see one with her own eyes, let alone a swarm of them.
But as she approached the towering tree, her legs finally gave, and she fell to her knees, dizzy from the accumulating loss of blood.
“I…I have no time left…” she knew it was inevitable, but with its arrival a panic overcame her, “M-my son…”
The fairies surrounded her again, this time seeming to watch the boy in her arms. Their warm glow lit his face, reflecting in his wide, curious eyes. There was a low, thoughtful rumble from the Great Deku Tree.
“The boy…I sense great potential in him…there lies the reason you were brought to me.”
“He’s all I have in the world…I-I can’t leave him alone…”
“Ease your worries, lady. Your son may live here.”
Her tear filled eyes raised to him, “Here?”
“My children will look after him. He will be safe in my woods.”
Again she felt like she was being watched, and as she looked up she saw by whom. Four children were sitting in the Deku Tree’s branches. Two boys and two girls, all of them hardly of age, almost hidden in the dark as their green, tattered clothing blended into the leaves. They stared down at the woman and her baby, eyes wide and curious.
“Come, rest yourself in my shade. No harm will come to the boy here. I promise.”
With the sincerity behind those words she was soothed. Slowly she crawled closer, no longer able to walk. Blood trailed in the grass beneath her. Finally she reached the solid roots of the Deku Tree, and there she rested, leaning on the supporting, almost comforting wood. Curling against it, she held her son close, giving him one final kiss on the forehead. The fairies circled around her in their comforting light, and the children in the tree slowly climbed down, watching quietly.
“Thank you.” she whispered, her breath slow and scarce.
