Chapter 2-Saria
I arrive home after a long and trying ride with Rilla, my half-cousin. Thank Din that's over. Dad sees me as I walk into the ranch, and smiles.
"Hi, Saria. Back so soon?" he asks. I give him a tired look.
"You know I can only stand so much of her. Especially when I feel like she's ripping me apart with her eyes, trying to figure me out. She'll never understand anyone but herself, so why doesn't she just give up?"
Dad nods, inviting more anrgy venting as he continues about his chores. I send Navi to the corral with a click of my tongue and a point in that direction, and keep talking.
"For example, today she wanted to ride Navi because she wanted to see what it was like to ride such a'fine animal'. I know she just wanted to see me fall of her horse, Satin. But I showed her, and I didn't fall."
"Of course you didn't. With a mother like yours, how could you?"
"I'm not as good as her."
"No, you're not. You're better. But don't tell her I said that, or I'll be sleeping on the couch, if I'm lucky!"
I laugh, then continue telling him about what happened.
"And here's the weirdest thing. Even though I didn't screw up at all, she still seemed... pleased. I'm kind of worried, actually. She's only happy when something bad happens to me. She's got evil plans, I just know it! Something involving Navi, I think, but if she touches Navi, so much as breathes on her, I'll strike her down!" I swoop my arm as though holding a sword. Dad's taught me all the proper technique.
"Control your temper, Saria. Anger never got anyone anywhere." Dad warns me. But I know he's lying. He wouldn't have been able to kill Ganon of he hadn't been downright murderously furious at him. A well-trained soldier is one thing to fight, but a well-trained angry soldier is quite another! Still, I'll heed his advice.
"I'm just going to be more careful, is all." I tell him, "And I'm going to watch my back and Navi's when I'm around Her Royal Bratness!"
Dad laughs. He thinks this isn't serious. How can I make him understand that I'm scared for my horse? I love her like an extension of myself, because that's what she is.
"It's not funny, Dad. You wouldn't have been pleased if Ganon attacked your Navi, would you?"
"There's a difference. Ganon was evil, and he wasn't my cousin. Rilla only wants to makes you a little annoyed, she doesn't want to kill you so she can take over the world."
He still doesn't get it.
*****
Later, as I'm gethering the cucco's eggs, Mom comes and visits me. She doesn't look happy.
"What's this I hear about you threatening to strike down Princess Rilla?"
I angrily send Dad a telepathic message, *Can't you keep anything a secret?*.
He answers back, *Not when it matters. I'm on your mother's side, here, kid.* I sigh.
"I didn't mean anything by it, Mom. I was just kidding!"
"Your father says you sounded serious to him, and threatening a monarch is illegal! I know how much you love Navi because I love Epona that much. Trust me, you probably would strike her down if she touched your horse."
"Are you saying you'd hurt if she came near Epona?" I could dodge my punishment, if this worked.
"If I was young and foolish and never learned better I might. But I did learn better, and do you know how? My Dad taught me. He taught me by making me learn from my mistakes. I know you thought you could get out of getting punished by twisting this to make it my fault, but I'm just more certain you should be grounded."
"Gounded! For saying one little thing? That's not fair."
"Not for saying it, Saria, for meaning it. It won't be for long, only two days, and you'll still be allowed to see Rilla all you want." Mom adds with a smile.
I shudder and tell her, "Visiting Rilla is a fate worse than death. I'll never threaten her again, I promise."
"You're getting off easy this time because it's almost your birthday and I can almost understand why you acted the way you did. Next time you won't be so lucky, especially not since you've been warned." She turns and leaves me to finish gathering the eggs. All that over just saying that I didn't want Rilla to come near Navi? Sheesh.
Then it occurs to me. I wasn't making an empty threat. If Rilla tried to do anything to Navi, I really would kill her.
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