Chapter 1: Escape from The Golden Land
Shavva hid in the bushes at the edge of Nefrati Village catching her breath. She'd just had a harrowing escape from her mother's house...which she had felt forced to leave and quickly, or she'd be married to that lady-beating oaf tomorrow that her mother had promised her to, like it or not. Right now, she was hiding from the dumb idiots that were hunting for her and waiting for her sister, Lissa, to show up and help her get out of Crystal Valley--and the Golden Land---quickly, for if she stayed here, she'd eventually get found. Getting found was no part of her plan...her unwanted fiancée would probably literally kill her for sure once they were married, he was that cruel. Full-blooded Hylian mage-healer or not, she couldn't heal herself very well. That surely meant certain death if Mother's plan succeeded since that oaf would likely beat her to death. Shavva still didn't know after these three weeks if Mother knew that Tristan was a woman-beater. Probably not, or Mother would of canceled the wedding and run Tristan out of town for beating Shavva during their "dates". He HAD managed to fool her at first too...he had a very tight personal shield that kept his private thoughts private, plus he had been a very good actor--well, until he had let his guard down a couple of months ago. Since Mother wasn't listening to Shavva's pleas to let her join the priesthood, it had come down to this....
:Sister?: she 'pathed, in private-mode. :Where are you?:
:Trying to confuse these idiots, Sis...I don't want to lead them to you.: Lissa answered. :Just lay low for a few more minutes...I'll use my powers to send them on a wild-goose chase.:
Shavva smiled to herself. Lissa was a powerful mage, not a mage-healer like Shavva. Shavva could only heal wounds and illnesses with her powers in a matter of seconds, but Lissa could do a lot more....
Just then, there was a shout.
"Hey, look over there! There she goes! Catch that girl! Or Trakka will have our hides!"
Shavva had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing. A realistic illusion of her(which was obvious to Shavva, but not to the searchers) was running in front of the thugs leading them well away from where she planned on going. Soon they were out of sight. And even better, the light from the golden sky was starting to dim...it was getting near nighttime, which meant that she'd be harder to see.
Just then, Shavva sensed Lissa's presence, so she came out of her hiding place.
"Sis? Everything OK?", Lissa asked.
"Yup. I caught my breath and I'm alright. Good thing they didn't check over here..." Shavva whispered, shuddering.
"No need to whisper. Those idiots are miles away from here. I snuck out your things..." Lissa handed her sister a pack. "And here's a bunch of arrows and a bow." She handed Shavva a full quiver of fine arrows and a bow that Shavva thought Lissa's husband could of made...he was good at making weapons of all types. She knew she might need this...there were still some nasty creatures in the Light World left over from Ganon's many earlier attempts to conquer it. Shavva knew she might have to defend herself from those evil creatures, which she didn't object to.
"You didn't forget my Goddess lamps did you?" Shavva asked. She had three--one for each Goddess. Tradition among these Golden Land-dwelling Hylia was to never go traveling for more than a day without them, since they were used in prayers. These lamps had to be lit at one of the Temples of the Goddesses that dotted the vast valley if they ever went out. They were made of gold and glass, each one was shaped like a rather small Triforce(they were twice as thick as they ought to of been though because of what they were) with the flame of the lamp inside, and each one was the favored color of the Goddess it represented--orange for The Goddess of Courage, blue for the Goddess of Wisdom, and red for the Goddess of Power. If she didn't have them, she'd feel lost...
"Would I be that stupid? No, they're in the pack in a box with hankerchiefs and old rags so they won't get broken. And I added a bottle of the special lamp oil that you have to use in them. Before you ask, I also packed your healer's kit and a collection of herb seeds that I guessed you'd want. Now, will you quit stalling and let's get out of here? That illusion won't hold those searchers forever..." Lissa grabbed Shavva's arm and motioned to the northwest. "We gotta get to that portal fast. I don't wanna have to create a temporary one. In the Light World, this area is covered in mountains and I know you don't want to get stuck in the middle of one..."
Shavva nodded and stepped away from the bushes to go with her sister. As they hurried briskly along, Shavva picked the branches and leaves out of her hair that had gotten in there while she was hiding in the bushes. They passed several crystals stuck in the rocks on the ground, for which the valley was named. You find those crystals all over the valley, Shavva thought. They protect the people who live here from the changing effects of the Golden Power.
There wasn't much time to think as they came to a solid rock wall studded with the crystals. Lissa frowned for a moment.
"You be lookout for a second Sis. I'll have to find and reveal that cave...I forgot that it's covered by a really powerful and stubborn illusion...just sit tight and look out for trouble!"
Shavva didn't argue and solemnly took out her new bow just in case. It did take quite a bit of concentration to penetrate a illusion, and if the searchers found them now...
She didn't want to think about it, and she hoped she wouldn't have to use that bow on her own people...
It didn't take long for Lissa to locate the illusion-covered cave where the last portal anywhere between the Golden Land and the Light World was. This one had been before all of the other portals had been closed forever, Shavva knew, one of the extremely rare two-way ones. Now it was the only portal left anywhere--probably because it was only known about in Crystal Valley(and then it was only a legend to many people). However, you needed the help of a mage to open the portal on the Golden Land side if you wanted to go to the Light World, though in the Light World you just had to find it and step on it to get to this part of the Golden Land. That was just the way it worked...
Before Shavva could blink twice, Lissa had canceled the illusion on the cave.
"There we are! That spell that I cast won't last forever. Hurry sis, before it disappears again!"
They both dashed for the cave. It had been the luck of the Goddesses that they hadn't been caught or had come any croppers, and Shavva hoped that that that luck would hold...
It did. They made it...just as they entered the cave, the illusion reasserted itself and Shavva saw what seemed to be a solid rock wall behind her. However, in front of her and Lissa, there was the portal...a square in the middle of three pillars arranged in a triangle. It was dark and lifeless right now, but as soon as Lissa caught her breath, Shavva knew she'd open that portal as they had discussed telepathically before, soon after Mother had decided to lock her in her room most of the time and have her watched closely the rest of the time. The reason why was that Shavva had threatened to run away to the nearest Goddesses's temple and become a priestess instead of getting married to Tristan. Luckily locked doors and close monitoring didn't block the Hylian telepathic gift! This portal was Shavva's last option...if she ran to a temple now, she likely would be sent home since Mother had probably told the temples that she would not allow her daughter to become a priestess. Not many of the Hylia who lived here knew about this cave, though it was mentioned in legend and song that dated from the dawn of time--and that were so old, that one couldn't tell what was fact and what was fiction. Lissa had found it herself when she was Shavva's age, and had gone wandering in the Light World for a time while she thought about what she wanted to do with her life. Now it was Shavva's turn to disappear into the Light World, but for a different reason. Maybe after a few years, Mother would reconsider the engagement and let Shavva dump Tristan and find a new boyfriend. Then, Shavva would come home, but only then. Well, that was the plan. It might have to change if things went wrong...
Shavva didn't want to think about what she might do if she got in trouble. She definitely wasn't gonna come crying home to Mother!
I'll worry about that if it happens, she thought to herself. This is no time to get cold feet!
"Sis, everything OK?" Shavva asked.
"No problem, little sister. I'm OK." Lissa turned and smiled at her sister. "I'm gonna miss you though...if you ever get lonely or in trouble, don't hesitate to 'path me across the void between the worlds. I'm not going anywhere and I'll try to get Mother to forget about the whole thing. Ok...let's do it before you decide to give up this crazy plan!"
Little does she know, Shavva thought.
Lissa turned her attention to the portal and began chanting a spell. Shavva remembered that Lissa had told her earlier it had taken her a month to figure out what this was and how to work it...
Suddenly, the portal flared to life.
Shavva ran toward the portal.
"Just a minute!" Lissa said just before her sister stepped on the portal. "When you get there, 'path me. They speak a different language there and I want to give it to you, don't forget! Good luck!"
Shavva turned, nodded, and stepped on the portal....
Chapter 2: Freedom and Stars
The next thing Shavva knew, she was in a similar cave(the exit was on the opposite side from where she came in, and she could see it was covered with bushes) with the portal she was on darkened. Remembering what Lissa had told her, she stepped off it, for it would come back to life in a second. Then she stretched her mind across the void.
:Lissa?:
:I'm here, sis. Got there OK?:
:Yes.:
Okay...here's what I remember...:
It felt for a second like someone had stuffed the contents of a dictionary in her head. New words and what they meant spun in Shavva's mind for a few minutes, then seemed to settle in her brain.
Shavva heard Lissa's mental chuckle.
:You aren't enjoying this, are you?:
:No, I'm not. Believe you me, it's worse when you have to *ahem* acquire it from someone.:
:I can believe it, Lissa.:
:Don't worry, I added a twist so you wouldn't forget Hylian since you won't be using that language for a while. I had some trouble remembering my native language when I got back, and I don't want that to happen to you.:
:Thanks for being thoughtful, sis.:
:You're welcome.:
The telepathic contact closed and Shavva shook her head. She still felt a little dizzy from Lissa's parting gift, but if Lissa had had a worse experience getting the Hyrulean language (using her telepathic gift, no doubt) than this was, she didn't want to get it the way Lissa had acquired the knowledge. Shavva knew if there was any gaps in her sister's memory of the language, Shavva would probably fill them quickly, for that was the way that particular trick that Lissa used was supposed to work. It was a shame, though, that that trick worked best with two people who were related by blood.
Remembering what Lissa had told her, she walked up boldly to the cave entrance and parted the bushes that covered it. Walking through, she took a glance upward and was surprised to see stars for once. In the Golden Land, when you looked up at the sky at night, you just saw blackness, not lights in the sky.
They're pretty, Shavva thought. But I do have somewhere to go...if that granny Lissa mentioned is still alive...
She bent her steps roughly south. It wasn't long until she found a small house surrounded by trees...the exact same house that Lissa had shown her telepathically. Lissa had told her sister that the old woman who lived here owned a pretty grouchy dog, but the lady herself was nice to strangers...as long as they weren't Moblins, Octoroks, or worse. As Shavva got closer, she heard a loud barking.
The owner has a dog all right, Shavva thought. Hope it's that granny...
Just then, the door creaked open.
"Who goes there?" cried out a older woman in the language that Lissa had given Shavva.
"Just a tired traveler" Shavva answered in the same tongue. The words felt strange and slightly unnatural in her mouth."I just want a place to stay for the night."
A white-haired woman poked her head out of the door. Shavva could still hear the dog barking. The woman turned away for a second.
"Be quiet, Terror! I'll figure what to do with her! Now go lie down!" The barking stopped.
She turned back to face Shavva.
"Come a little closer, girl. Don't hide in the dark. Terror might bite, but I won't."
Shavva obeyed and stepped onto the porch into the light coming from the open door. The granny looked her up and down for a second.
"You're related to that girl that came by a few years ago...Lissa, was it?"
Shavva smiled and nodded. "Yes, I'm her little sister."
"Any sister of Lissa's is welcome here. Come on in. I don't think Terror'll bother you...your sister stopped him the first time she was here with her powers, so I think he knows the smell of magic by now..." The old granny grinned and got herself out of the way.
Good thing, Shavva thought. I don't want to get bitten by a dog.
Shavva walked into the little house and the old granny shut the door after her. The place had quite a few lit homemade candles on the walls. There was a teapot on the fire and the dog was in the corner on a rug...where obviously he'd gone when the granny had yelled at him. He was quite a big and mean looking dog.
No wonder he's called Terror, Shavva thought. She probably keeps him around for protection.
The old lady turned and smiled at her.
"Come on, sit down by the fire. What brings someone like you to a place like this?"
Shavva sat down and related her story...about her mistake, the horrible marriage proposal, the way she'd escaped out the back window, and how Lissa had helped her get away. Remembering what Lissa had told her, she did omit the portal, and stuck to her sister's story of a gateway that her sister had opened for her instead. Lissa had told Shavva that most people here had forgotten about the Golden Land since the Triforce had been moved to the Light World. To them, the idea of a magical gateway that led somewhere under the mountains were more plausible than another world.
"Quite a harrowing day you've had. Are you a magiker like your sister?"
"Yes and no. My powers don't run the same way as hers, they run toward life and healing people. I'm trained as a healer, not a mage."
"I admit I can use that kind of help. My joints have been taking to hurting in the evenings and before it rains. Is there anything you can do?"
"Just a second. Let me see..." Shavva reached over and touched the woman's shoulder. She then closed her eyes, calling upon the power which the Goddesses had granted her at her birth(but hadn't awakened until she was twelve). In a couple of moments, she had her answer.
"No, I'm afraid it's due to old age. I can't heal that, but I can make up a tea that will help relieve the pain without making you sleepy or too keyed up to sleep."
"That would be a relief."
"Let me get my kit. I'll make some up now and tell you the formula in the morning...I don't think I should write it down, for with my luck, it'd probably end up in my native language and I don't think you could read that..."
"No, I couldn't. I'll do the writing in the morning when you tell me what it is."
It didn't take Shavva long to extract her healer's kit from her pack and make up the tea for the old granny. The old granny asked her how much for a dose, then after measuring the amount, poured hot water over it and let it steep. While the tea was steeping, the old lady reached up to the mantle for a small pot.
"I'm gonna get you a little spot of herb-tea myself. I admit, I've been taking to sipping some in the evenings to help me relax and forget that I'm hurting."
"Mind if I sniff it first? I'd rather be careful, for I'm not from around here..."
"No problem." The old woman handed her the pot.
Shavva opened the pot and sniffed. It was krystak tea, which was good to relax with. Shavva smiled and handed the pot back to the old woman, who began brewing her a cup. It was a good thing her teachers had taught her to recognize herbs by smell. What if she'd been allergic to it? It would of been hard to refuse politely...
It wasn't long before they were sitting by the fire, sipping tea and talking. The old lady wanted to know how Shavva's sister was doing, which Shavva answered. She also asked why Shavva's mother would do such a thing as try to force a marriage.
"I guess she thought I liked that idiot since I hadn't dumped him a year ago. The other reason may be because I'm the youngest and her last chance to get grandkids to play with, even though I'm not quite sure about that. None of my sisters has had kids yet, though I think Lissa will soon...She was pregnant when I left, but only just."
"How did you know about it?"
"My powers do run that way. I can tell if a woman is going to have a baby, even early on."
"Does Lissa know about it?"
"Yes, I told her. Why would I hide a thing like that? Anyway, she was pleased to know about it and hoped that would help my situation when she started showing! But that takes months..." Shavva's eyes seemed to be faraway for a second as she remembered. "It'd be too late for me, and since Mother wouldn't let me join the priesthood, running away seemed to be my only option."
"Do you think you're going to be all right?"
"If I'm careful, I think so." Shavva's expression turned thoughtful. "I'm a pretty good shot, so I don't think anything will give me much trouble. Right now, I feel free--for the first time in three weeks! It's great. I know though, that I'm going to have to work to keep it."
After they had finished their tea, the granny showed Shavva to her bed. The dog growled at Shavva as she went by, but it left her alone.
Lissa must of really taught that dog a lesson, Shavva thought. I'm surprised he hasn't hid under the table or something.
Before she went to sleep for the night, Shavva reached into her pack for the box with the Goddess lamps in it, arranged them on a small bedside table, and, bowing toward them with her hands with their palms together in front of her, said her prayers. After that, she changed clothes for a nightgown her sister had packed for her. She noticed that her sister had only packed two dresses, but many shirts and slacks. She'd also packed an umbrella that had been Shavva's last birthing-day present from Lissa and Kristef, her husband(he'd designed it and made it so it would fold up easily)--which seemed pretty ridiculous, considering that it would be a nuisance in the woods.
I'll ask her about those in the morning, Shavva thought.
Shavva got into bed and pulled the covers over her head.
In twenty winks she was fast asleep.
Chapter 3: A Fight , Stories Told, and a Soaking
When Shavva woke up that morning, she stretched her mind across the void.
:Sis?:
:Huh?:
:Why didn't you pack many dresses?:
:They're impractical traveling, you ought to know that. They get caught on branches and things.:
:I should of thought of that. [Shavva sent Lissa a sheepish look] I saw my umbrella in there...whatever for?:
:I enchanted the thing. You'll have to pass by the rocky trail to the Great Palace on the way to the little kingdom of Hyrule...:
:I thought this was Hyrule..:
:It is and it isn't. It is --as it's the land of Hyrule, but it's not attached anymore to the crown of Hyrule. As I was saying, there's sometimes monsters at the top of an old fence on that path. They're not always there--well, I only encountered them once-- but when they are there, they like to throw flaming rocks at travelers. Without any real offensive magic, you can't destroy them because they won't come down from there for some dumb reason. So, when you get to this old fence [then Lissa 'showed' her sister what she meant], open the umbrella and walk under it as if it was raining. If you do that, they won't be able to hit you with anything and they'll leave you alone. Some creatures just have a nasty idea about what's funny...:
:No kidding.:
:Whatever you do, don't even think about going to the Great Palace. You can look at it from afar, but there's some kind of magical barrier that I couldn't break that blocks your way to it. Stay away from it...just follow the path away from the Great Palace and you should come to Hyrule proper in a day or two. I almost forgot...I left a raft I made by this dock [Lissa showed Shavva]. If you use that, it'll take you across the lake to the kingdom of Hyrule and then everything should be fine. [Lissa showed Shavva a mental map of the area with the best route marked on it]:
:How do I get to that path?:
:Straight southwest of here. You'll be there by lunchtime. Just be careful, Sis...I don't want you hurt or killed.:
:I'll be careful.:
With that, Lissa closed the connection.
Shavva smiled and got dressed.
Good thing Lissa's been here before, Shavva thought. I'd be in big trouble if she hadn't.
Making sure that she had her boots on (because she'd have to do a little mountain climbing to get to the path), she went out for breakfast.
A month later, Shavva was on the edge of Lake Hylia. She'd given the old woman the formula (she'd had to draw some of the plants because she'd not known the Hyrulean words for them--but it had worked) It had been as easy to get here as Lissa had said...well there had been that one nasty Moblin she'd had to shoot and those monsters over by the Great Palace had been throwing flaming rocks again (thank goodness for that spelled umbrella, or she'd been cooked), but those had been nothing. She hadn't liked the graveyard much...that had been really spooky and she hoped if she'd ever come back she wouldn't EVER have to go through there after dark. Otherwise, it had been a pretty quiet trip here.
It didn't take long for Shavva to locate the raft her sister had shown her. Lissa had hid it in a old, run-down building that no one in his or her right mind would look in for a Hylian-spelled treasure, but there it was....a raft, built by a Hylian sorceress and spelled to go across the lake without any paddles. Why, everybody thought the Hylia as a race were pretty much extinct! Oh, there were a few people with Hylian blood, including the royal family,but the blood was so faint that it was almost unrecognizable now. So no one would expect this raft to be spelled...and Lissa had certainly done a good job on the craftsmanship. However, it was getting late. So Shavva dragged the raft out of the building and reached into her pack for what other people would think was a bunch of folded cloth...but it wasn't. It was actually a tent Lissa had made for her sister. It was spelled to stand up without any poles, which made it very light and packable. Shavva smiled as she threw it out. It put itself up and stood there, waiting for her to go in and spend the night. She'd make the trip across the lake in the morning. After eating her travel rations supplemented by some fruit that her powers told her was safe (that was something that her powers could tell her that Lissa's couldn't!), she got out her bedroll and the box with her Goddess lamps in it and retired in the tent for the night.
The next morning, after Shavva had her breakfast, she pulled a cord on her tent. It folded up all by itself and she picked it up, grinning to herself. The first time she had needed to take her tent down, she'd had to ask Lissa how to do it...it just hadn't been obvious. That sure had been embarrassing...
After her stuff had been packed, she pushed the raft to the edge of the lake, and pushed off. It went quietly across the lake, just like it was supposed to. Shavva hid the raft and began to walk away when she heard a scream. It was coming from farther along the lake shore. Shavva ran straight for the screamer, for it sounded like someone was hurt, and she couldn't stand that (as well as ignoring it violated every oath she'd taken when she had finished her healer training [which luckily, didn't mean she couldn't defend herself or others]). It didn't take her long to locate the screamer. It was a young Zora, spitting its energy balls at a gang of Moblins. It had been shot several times--Shavva couldn't tell how many from this distance, but it was at least three times. Shavva knew her legends and knew that the Zora and the Hylia had once left each other alone..well..before the civil wars and the Great Sundering of the Hylia that led her ancestors to flee to the Golden Land and Crystal Valley. But that didn't matter right now. That Zora was a child and that child needed saving. She got out her bow, made sure it was strung, grabbed a arrow, and shot. The Moblins turned toward her, but she already had another arrow nocked and ready. The Zora looked up in surprise, and then began spitting energy balls like a madman. Arrows and energy balls flew everywhere, and shortly the Moblins were dead.
Shavva walked up to the Zora.
"Are you okay?" she asked, trying Hyrulean first.
The Zora looked up at her with scared eyes and then answered clumsily, "yes, go 'way"
Shavva could guess that it/he/she(since she couldn't tell its sex without touching it, since it wasn't obivous [which made her feel kind of stupid]) was lying, so she extended her powers just a little (though if something was wrong, she couldn't help unless the Zora let her touch it/he/she). Her powers told her her hunch was right --the poor Zora had lost a lot of blood as well as had been shot. Somehow the Zora knew she was using some kind of magic or power and began to really start shaking.
"How you a mage?"
Shavva shook her head. "I'm not a mage exactly as you would think of one. I'm a mage whose powers run strictly to life and healing. They just told me you were lying about being okay. You're hurt! Will you please come here? I can mend your wounds quickly if you let me touch you..."
The Zora--or Zola, which the Hyruleans now called these fish people, Shavva knew--half-crawled, half-walked to Shavva's side. It was badly hurt--it had gotten shot by six arrows and had pulled them all out (which was very stupid--any first-year healer's apprentice would of known that). Shavva stretched out her hand and touched the Zora, launching her healing powers into its/his/her injured body. As she exercised her powers, the arrow wounds closed and Shavva got the Zora's body to replace most of the lost blood, for the little girl Zora(as she discovered, for when she directly touched someone with her powers, she did find out things like that) had lost more blood than was good for her. She could also feel the effects of this...the strength, energy, and materials for a healing like this came from both healer and healed, which was why it was traditional not to charge any money for a mage-healing--it was considered paid for already.
Shavva soon finished and drew her hand back. She was shaking a little, as she always was after she healed someone. She reached into her pack and brought out some sticky-bars that Lissa had thoughtfully packed and offered the Zora one.
"You'd better eat something or you'll be sorry later. I should know..." Shavva followed her own advice and bit into a bar.
The Zora accepted the offered sticky-bar and bit into it. She looked at Shavva wonderingly, which Shavva noticed out of the corner of her eye.
Shavva swallowed what was in her mouth quickly.
"What's on your mind, little Zola girl?"
The Zora swallowed quickly. "You...you no act Hyrulean. Hyrulean not help Zola, not share food. Who...what are you?"
Shavva smiled. It wouldn't hurt to tell someone the truth. "I'm a Hylia, not a Hyrulean. My name is Shavva."
"Hylia all gone!"
"Not quite, or I wouldn't be around."
The Zola seemed to consider that while she chewed on her bar for a while. Then she answered, "How you get here and how can you be Hylia?? Seem impossible, Shavva..."
Shavva swallowed another bite."It's a long story...actually two long stories, for I assume you want to know how there can still be Hylia?"
The Zora nodded. "Before you start, my name Mirrel."
Shavva smiled. Now she knew the Zora's name. Then she began...
"Well Mirrel, long ago near the beginning of time, just when the peoples of Hyrule forgot the laws that the Goddesses Din, Nayru, and Farore had left for them, your people, the Zola, decided to attack the Hylia. That is what really began the civil wars. The battle was fierce and the Hylia, with their powerful magic, won, but at a terrible cost in lives. After that battle, there was an argument between two groups of Hylia. One group wanted to attack the Zola and get revenge. The other group wanted to let things well enough alone, for they'd lost enough people and what does a battle mean but more killing and hate? Unfortunately, the Hylia who wanted revenge won and threw the peace-lovers out. That, Mirrel, was what my people called 'The Great Sundering'."
"Why couldn't Hylia make up? Aren't the Goddesses supposed to be Gods? What happened to peace-lovers?" Mirrel asked.
Shavva blinked and sighed, then answered, "They couldn't just 'make up' because the argument went too deep. It was sad too. The Great Sundering divided families in some cases. The Goddesses have always been Goddesses, as far as I know. Maybe the women here were kicked out of the priesthood for some reason instead of both men and women working together in the priesthood as the Goddesses prefer and people changed the Goddesses to Gods in their minds..." Shavva frowned. "Anyway, these peace-loving Hylia wandered throughout the land, having no home to call their own. They saw the civil wars begin and were heartsick...Why did there have to be such killing? Hate only breeds more hate as well as death, they thought. One wise woman who remembered the three creator Goddesses went into the brush one day and prayed for help for her people. The Goddesses spoke to her as a whisper in her soul, telling her that they would lead her and the rest of the peace-lovers to a rich part of the Sacred Realms--or the Golden Land as I think you'd know that place as--so, with that hope, she went back to the rest of the peace-lovers and told them about what the Goddesses had told her. Since this woman was not only gifted with the wisdom of Farore but was well respected by the people, they listened to her. This lady kept in tune with the Goddesses and led her people across Hyrule past where the Great Palace is now to a cave in a cliff. Once inside the cave, the people teased that woman for a while, for there was no gate to the Golden Land there. However, the Goddesses suddenly spoke with the voice of thunder, scolding the peace-lovers for not having any faith in them. Everyone except the wise woman, who had not given up hope, shook like leaves in the wind. A ray of light suddenly shone down where there was no light and a portal appeared from nowhere. The other peace-lovers apologized to the wise woman and all of them went through the portal, not doubting that since the Goddesses had obviously created this portal that it would get past the seal that the great sage Rauru had placed on the Golden Land to protect the Triforce. It did and they found themselves, once they walked out the cave on the other side, in a beautiful valley where the rocks and the walls of the valley were studded with clear crystals. There were trees and a river and many animals and plants, many of which were useful in some way, which they found out later. Then the Goddesses appeared and stood before them. They taught these peace-loving Hylia the lost laws, and commanded them to write down the lost laws so they would never be forgotten again. They also commanded them to build temples to them so the Goddesses could be honored and never forgotten either, no matter what happened. The Goddesses stayed for a while, teaching the people how to live in that beautiful valley, and the uses of the plants and animals there and teaching them which of those plants and animals were dangerous. Once the peace-loving Hylia had built their homes and the first temple, the Goddesses each lit a fire with their powers on a altar and commanded them to create glass lamps for each Hylia in the shape of Triforces to be lit by these flames so they could always have a remembrance of what had happened to them with them and so the Hylia could have a focus for their prayers. They commanded them to use brands from these fires to light new ones in every temple that the Hylia built. Then the Goddesses charged them to watch and be wary, for someone might one day steal the Triforce in spite of Rauru's seal and these Hylia might have to use their powers to help the Hero of Hyrule, whoever that may be, stop the thief, for the Goddesses foresaw that the descendants of those Hylia who they had left behind would one day intermarry with the Gerudo. Because of the union of these two peoples, the blood of those Hylia would thin and fade in their descendants until there weren't any Hylia left to speak of. So, one day the descendants of the peace-loving Hylia might have to create the tools to save their former homeland because no one else could. After the Goddesses had finished charging them with these warnings, they left, and they have been rarely seen or heard from since. That's what I understood basically happened when I read the legends."
"But how..why you get here?"
Shavva smiled. This she could answer. "Well...I think I'd better start with the 'why', for that's quite a tale. It all started a year ago when Mother introduced me to a handsome guy named Tristan. He seemed nice at first--the first couple of months, anyway--but he turned out to have a cruel heart. He liked his girlfriends to obey his every whim, no matter how stupid or sick. Since I wouldn't stand for that (I tend to be a strong-willed lady, after all), he beat me with a stick, a buggy whip, or whatever came to hand when I said 'no' to his idiotic demands."
"Why you not get rid of cruel man?"
"I'm afraid that's what a lot of women ask themselves when they get that kind of boyfriend, Mirrel. I did too...but part of the reason was Mom was being very pushy about Tristan for some silly reason; now that I think about it, it may of been that I didn't just dump him when I found out what he really was. I can't count the number of times I ran to my teacher in the healing arts, Joxyum, to get my backside healed because I had been beaten yet again."
"Why you not heal yourself? Your mom know 'bout it?"
Shavva shook her head. "First off, I can't heal myself. I can tell a healer exactly what's wrong, but that's all I can do to myself. As for Mom knowing about Tristan's cruel streak, I don't think so. For one, Tristan is very good at acting--he seemed to be a nice guy on the surface, and I think Mom was only seeing what she wanted to see. She didn't even notice that I was often tired and hungry from the constant mage-healings (Healings take energy from both the healer and the healed, before you ask anything) or talk to Joxyum, who kept urging me to say something to my mother about that guy...Sometimes I wished that Tristan had Joxyum's heart, but Joxyum is...well was...a very old man...old enough to be my great-grandfather. Finally, after three months, I took Joxyum's advice and tried to tell my mother what Tristan was doing to me. She didn't even listen, for she had gotten me engaged to Tristan!! I wanted to kill her. And so the argument began. I didn't want to marry that oaf, I didn't care about him, for all I cared he could have been dropped off the top edge of the valley and I would dance on his grave. I hated myself for feeling that way (becouse it violated all of the oaths I took when I became a full healer), but I was sick and tired of getting beaten and then having to take refuge with Joxyum to get my backside healed as well as to hide from Tristan. Tristan was afraid of the old healer, so Joxyum's home made a very good hiding place. The argument lasted for months. Finally, about a month and three weeks ago, I threatened to run away to the nearest temple and become a priestess. Mother went ballistic, realizing that I was serious, and she knew if I did manage to do that that I couldn't marry anybody. She locked me in my room most of the time and had me watched closely the rest of the time, for she was bound and determined to have me married off to that guy, and to hang with my happiness. She still didn't realize that she was causing me misery, and I don't know why. I thought about things for a couple of days and then remembered what my sister, Lissa, had done. She had found the old portal that had carried our ancestors to Crystal Valley, researched it, and discovered that it was a two-way portal and she also found out how to open it. Since Lissa is a powerful mage and you have to be a mage as you'd see one to open it, she realized that she could open it and see how Hyrule had changed since our ancestors had turned their back on that land. Besides, Mother was pressuring her to get married too, and Lissa wanted to be out of Mom's hands for a while. She opened the portal and went wandering around in Hyrule for a year. When she came back, she married a craftsman that Mother disapproved of, and was happy with that. I realized that all I had to do was run away to Hyrule and maybe Mom would forget about the whole thing. After all, I wasn't attracted to Tristan at all anymore. Maybe the reason Mom introduced me to Tristan in the first place was that I was taking my dear sweet time in finding a boyfriend and Mom wanted me, the tomboy in the family, to just settle down with what seemed like a nice guy. Anyway, Mother hadn't thought about keeping an eye out for me using my telepathic powers..."
Mirrel shrieked and covered her head. "You not read my mind!!! Dirty mind-reader!"
Shavva patted Mirrel's arm. "Calm down, one of the rules that was pounded into my head when my telepathic powers first awakened when I was six was NEVER, EVER read anyone's mind without their permission." Shavva shot Mirrel a apologetic look. "You don't go through a person's private stuff, and you don't go rummaging through someone's mind without permission. Reading someone else's mind is something you can only do with permission, since it's believed that one should at least have some privacy."
Mirrel looked up, blinked, and took her hands off her head."Sorry, heard stories about many bad telepaths that steal thoughts...I no forget!" Shavva nodded and went on...
"She didn't keep a eye out for when I called--and who I called to--using my telepathic powers. I spoke to Lissa about the portal with my telepathic powers. She met me many times outside (when I was allowed out of the house), where we did a lot of double-talking--in other words, we seemed on the surface to be having a perfectly innocent conversation, but we were talking real thick and heavy mind to mind about the matter of sneaking off to Hyrule and making plans. Then, about a month and a day ago, I took a enchanted lock-pick my sister had snuck me that morning and used it to open the window, which I climbed out of using a knotted sheet."
"You still have lock-picker?"
"Why, yes I do..." Shavva reached into a pocket in her pack and removed the lock pick, which looked like a key to some jewelry box. She remembered that she'd had it in her pocket the first evening that she'd been in Hyrule and moved it to the pack that morning in the old granny's house, before she stuffed her old dirty clothes in a cloth bag in her pack. "My sister warned me not to drop it, since she didn't want Mom mad at her. Mother is a mage too, and one mage can tell if another mage that they know well--or if the two mages are related by blood--made an enchanted object or cast a spell. Anyway, I slid down the sheet, almost landing on a drakanta bush."
"What that?"
Shavva chuckled. "It's a nasty looking thorn bush, with thorns about a couple of inches long. However, it does have a worse bite than it looks--not only do you get badly scratched if you tangle with one, later you end up having a itchy rash on the spot where it got you. Most people call it "'Ol Pain and Terror". I've also heard it called a few things that are pretty nasty. If I repeated them, I'd have to wash my mouth out with soap, if I could even translate them from my native language(which isn't Hyrulean, by the way)!"
Mirrell chuckled a little. "Me no ask you to bother. I no want to wash ears out! Go on..."
"Well, thank goodness I missed that nasty bush. I didn't know we had one in our back yard---Mother probably hadn't got anyone to get rid of it yet(You probably guessed, it's considered a weed). Anyway, I squealed with relief because I didn't end up sitting on it, which was a mistake. The squeal got the attention of some idiots that Mom had gotten to watch the house. They chased me for a while, then I lost them and hid in a clump of some ordinary bushes. To shorten the story a little, Lissa sent those idiots on a wild goose chase with a spell, then we went to the spot where the old portal was hidden, and Lissa opened it for me. I walked here the rest of the way."
"Quite good tale. You think you ever see nasty guy again??"
Shavva shrugged. "I don't know. He did like the idea of getting married...it was probably the dowry Mother offered. I hope I don't meet him again....it won't be pretty if I do."
Mirrell nodded. "Me think father might like to meet you. Can you swim?"
"Yes, but I can only hold my breath for five minutes."
"No worries, we stay on surface until we get to warp so you can breathe. Let's go!"
Warp?? What warp??, Shavva thought. I think Mirrel knows what she's talking about, though I don't. Though I wish she wouldn't talk so funny...oh well..
Shavva got out a waterproof leather cover that her sister had packed and covered her arrows and bow. She also made sure her pack was fastened tight, so no water would leak in. Mirrell nodded approvingly.
"We go!" Mirrel cried, and Shavva waded in to follow her. They swam at the surface until they came to some water weeds. Mirrel dived under, and Shavva, after taking a deep breath, followed. Just barely hidden in the water weeds was a whirlpool. Mirrel fearlessly dived into it, and after a moment's hesitation, Shavva followed.
They surfaced in a underwater cave, which had a above-water entrance at one side. There were several whirlpools like the one that Shavva and Mirrell dived into. Mirrel swam over to the shelf that opened up into the next chamber, Shavva following. Mirrel got up, showing Shavva how to get out. Shavva imitated Mirrel, for there was a trick to it. Mirrel led her to a huge chamber where a big Zora sat with a crown on his head. Shavva's eyes widened a little bit, realizing that she had been talking to a princess...no wonder Mirrel had wanted Shavva to see her father!
The Zora said, "Mirrel, why you bring home Hyrulean trash? Throw it back!"
Mirrel shook her head and answered, "Father, she not trash or Hyrulean. She a Hylia from far away and she save my life!"
"What? Tell!"
Mirrell related what had happened and Shavva's story. At least, that's what Shavva assumed, for most of what Mirrel said was in a language very similar to Hylian, but different enough that it sounded like nonsense to Shavva. No wonder the Zora talked haltingly...they must of not had much contact with the Hyruleans for a long time...well...maybe not except at the business end of a weapon because as far as Shavva could tell, the old grudge was still around. Why, they seemed to think of Hyruleans as "trash" to be thrown back!
When Mirrel finished speaking, the big Zora turned to Shavva.
"Sorry for calling you 'trash'. You help daughter, you no have to. I help you back, for that demand payment!"
Shavva shook her head. "Your Majesty, I ask for none for a mage-healing, it's already paid for by the healer and the healed. Why?"
"You lose time detouring, you be tired and hungry later from healing daughter. Also there life-debt that must be paid. Mirrel die if you no stop! So, I get lunch, give you chance to take nap if you like, order warrior to show you warp to heart of Hyrule to make up lost time, and give you these..." He gave her a golden scale, a bracelet made out of some kind of blue jewel, and a roll of some kind of parchment or leather(it looked more like leather than paper).
"What are these for, sir?"
"Golden scale same golden scale used by first Link to dive very deep. Will let holder stay underwater long time so you no have to worry about drowning. Bracelet identify you to any Zola who obey me as under king's protection, and no hurt you. Parchment show you where all Zola warps are in Hyrule and lands once part Hyrule, for I give you permission to use all warps that Zola use to travel from lake to lake at need. First time better shown, for it take time to read map, and warrior also help if Moblins show at edge of lake, for they hold grudges. This not much, not fully pay life-debt, but it start."
"Not all Zola obey you? Why?" That just seemed strange to Shavva, that a king couldn't have all his people listen to him.
"Some follow Ganon's way and attack without even letting trash have first shot. Even trash has right to make first move! You have permission to shoot those that no leave you alone, they ask for it!"
Shavva nodded. That made sense...that the rule seemed to be that they wouldn't attack anyone unless that person attacked first. But why didn't all Zola obey their king? Maybe Ganon had been recruiting last time he'd been around...well...she'd probably never know. Even the Sundering had been forgotten among the Hyruleans, so this also could of been in one of the records that had been lost as well.
She absently squoze some of the water out of the front of her brown hair(which was in the traditional three tassels...two small ones in the front [one on each side of her face] and the rest of it in a big one at the back).
The king said, "You okay?"
Shavva smiled and answered, "Yes, though I'm pretty soaked. I guess that's what happens when you swim with Zola though--you get wet!"
The king chuckled. "Funny joke! Well, when you get to village, you fit right in. That why I call you 'trash' first; you look like trash on surface. Come, we get lunch."
Shavva smiled and followed the king. Most of what he offered was on the grounds of "taking care of the healer" which was a tradition if you had to call the healer to your house for a bad wound, the healing of which would wear out the healer. The rest? Well, if the modern-day Zora had a tradition of a life-debt, then she couldn't refuse the gifts politely. She wouldn't try to use the fact to fish for any favors unless she had no other choice, for that would surely wear out her welcome with the king. At least having trouble with most of the Zora was one thing less she'd have to worry about....
After lunch, Shavva went ahead and had a nap in a guest room shown her by the king.(That bed may of looked like it was a sea-shell with a cushion in it, but it sure was comfortable...) At least she'd be able to go exploring rather quickly, though...