Forsaken - Legend of Zelda | Wind Waker

Freedom

Halym groaned as she started to come to. Her eyes slowly opened, and took a few seconds to adjust. Clear blue skies and soft morning light greeted her. The girl furrowed her brows, searching the area with her eyes. She was in a circular, high-walled area, grassy and peaceful. Small twirling balls of light danced around a calm pool in the middle. Halym lifted herself onto her elbows. A sharp pain hit her side, and she cried out as she fell back down. She looked at her side. Her shirt had been sheared off a bit above the waist, revealing a heavily bandaged stomach.

With great care, Halym moved to a sitting position and looked wonderingly around. A flutter above the girl caused her to give a small start, and shield her head with her arms. Something landed lightly in front of her.

"Easy. It's okay, you're safe now," a male voice said. She lowered her arms. The voice's owner was a Rito, a bird-like creature. She had only seen one other Rito once before, but still couldn't help but stare. His feet were yellow and scaly, with bird-like claws. A hooked hawk beas was in place of his nose. His dark skin was sharply contrasted by his white hair, which was swept up behind his head. His red eyes stared back.

"Don't try to move, okay?" he told her, kneeling next to her, "Your wound's still healing." Halym gingerly touched her bandaged middle.

"You… saved me?" she asked, her voice scratchy.

"Yes. Just in time, too. That big bird was after you. It was lucky that I happened to be in the area. Not many people are," he told her.

"Thank you very much," she said, the fact that she was free sinking in.

"No problem. I'd have to say, I was surprised to find someone like you near a place like that." Halym's eyes widened as she remembered something.

"Link! Did you find Link!" she cried. She placed a hand over her lips, suddenly embarrassed at her outburst. The Rito stared at her. She was about to apologize, but he interrupted.

"You know Link?" he asked.

"Yes. I was helping him free his sister." The Rito's head tilted to one side.

"What's your name?" he asked her.

"Halym. Of the Forsaken Fortress." The birdman held out a hand.

"Quill. Rito Postman." She shook it. "The Forsaken Fortress… How'd you end up there, Halym?" The girls gave him a quick run-through of basically her life story; her pirate captain father, the curse, the confinement, how she met Link, how they got chucked from the top of the Fortress. In turn, he filled her in on Link's story; how his sister was taken, how he had convinced the pirates to help Link into the fortress.

"So… you've never been outside the fortress before?" Quill asked. Halym shook her head. She gazed around the clearing once more.

"Where are we?" the girl inquired.

"We're in the Mother and Child Isle, just southeast of the fortress. It was close and safe." One of the balls of light twirled around Halym's foot, sending dazzling sparkles every which way. She chuckled.

"Quill, what are these?" she asked her new friend. He smiled.

"They're fairies," he told her, catching one in his hands, "Here," he held the creature out over Halym's lap, and parting his fingers slightly. She placed her hands around his, and he carefully slid his out. Quill clasped her pale hands, and pulled them quickly apart. The fairy darted out, then spun around Halym. She closed her eyes, grasping Quill's hands as a tingling feeling tickled her side. The fairy stopped, and the tingling subsided.

"There," Quill said, pulling Halym to her feet, "I've been trying to get one to do that since we got here." Halym released his tan hands, and gingerly undid the bandages of her side. Her injury was healed.