Before we get going on this story, I must take care of a few things in this author's note. First of all, this is a companion story to my previous Zelda fan fiction, "The Hero's Hero." If you have not read that one yet, I suggest you read that before this. Secondly, I must, of course, give credit where it is due: The Legend of Zelda video games are the brainchild of Shigeru Miyamoto and Eiji Aonuma, and are property of Nintendo. The only aspects of this story that do not belong to the above are a few original characters; true fans of the games should be able to figure out which ones are original. Now, without further ado, I do hope you enjoy this story!

It was not common, by any stretch of the imagination, for people to idly traverse the vast plain of Hyrule Field. Surely, it was frequented by merchants, farmers, and ranchers transporting their goods in Castle Town or Kakariko. But few travelled outside the towns where they lived for pure leisure.

Which was why the young mounted Hylian with a laden pack made such an odd sight on this day as he and his horse exited the Kakariko Valley and came out upon that great expanse of grass. There were a few other folk about, a few merchants pulling handcarts or driving small wagons, but none were travelling so lightly as he.

A quick glance at him would have revealed a mop of dark brown hair atop his head, almond-shaped hazel eyes, and a childlike countenance that took in his surroundings. His garb was rather ordinary for a working-class Hylian: a plain white woolen shirt, a red vest of the same material, tan corduroy trousers, and a pair of soft leather riding boots. Aside from that was his pack, slung over his back with a single strap, and a sheathed dirk strapped to his right hip.

His name was Taryn, and he'd recently turned fifteen years of age. It was personal business which brought him out of his hometown of Kakariko. His older brother, a Hylian Knight, had been recently called up and stationed at Lon-Lon Ranch. There had been a general mustering of Hylian forces amidst rumors that Ganon, the King of Evil, had broken out of his bonds in the Sacred Realm, a mere two years after the recently-crowned Queen Zelda and the Sages had sealed him there.

Taryn had only just reached military age, but he remembered the dark days before the Hero of Time defeated Ganon. He'd been forced to use his dirk a few times back then, mostly against solitary marauding Bulblins in the Valley. He was glad his brother would be at the forefront of the fighting if Ganon truly had now returned. Hence his errand on this day: his pack contained small gifts to his elder brother, mostly of food, but a few other comforts to keep the nineteen-year-old knight from getting too homesick.

In order to reach Lon-Lon Ranch, Taryn would have to stray from the lone path on Hyrule Field, which ran between Kakariko and Castle Town. So, without too much hesitation, he turned his horse from the trail and set out across the open grass of the plain. He could see the imposing, fortified ranch some way before him, on a large hill near the center of the plain. The sun was barely a quarter of the distance to its zenith; he would have a lot of daylight. Still, he wanted to get to the ranch quickly so he would have time for small talk with his brother and some of his other friends. Anticipating how happy his brother would be to see the gifts he'd brought, he spurred his horse on to a light canter.

…

He arrived at the ranch only two and a half hours later to find the gate open and Hylian soldiers patrolling the wooden palisade which ringed the ranch compound. After stating his business to the two sentries at either side of the gate, he was allowed to pass through.

Taryn had been to Lon-Lon ranch before, but he always marveled at how open the place was. Kakariko was spacious enough, but being set at the end of a narrow valley and built into the side of a plateau left the town feeling enclosed and packed (at least, he thought so). In truth, the ranch, walled in as it was, was no less enclosed, but one could see more of the sky here.

Taryn wasted a few seconds relaxing in the saddle from the feeling of openness, but quickly recovered and walked his horse over to a Hylian soldier near a barrack. Taryn recognized the soldier; he was another Kakariko native and had been one of his brother's childhood friends. "Good morning, Taryn!" the soldier called out in greeting. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, not much," Taryn replied. "Just wanted to give some things to Eryc." He was, of course, referring to his older brother.

The soldier in front of him shrugged at the mention of Eryc as he informed Taryn, "He's out with some of the other Knights. The Hero of Time himself is taking them out to the field to train."

Immediately, Taryn got slightly envious of his older brother. Eryc got to be in close proximity to Link, the Hero of Time, while he had to help his father run the bakery in Kakariko.

But he didn't show his feelings on that matter, choosing instead to smile and say, "Well, good for him. Can you give this to him when he gets back? Tell him his family sent it."

"Will do," replied the soldier. Taryn took the pack off his back and handed it to the other, before turning his horse and walking him towards the main gate.

Before he got there, however, a small group of mailed horsemen rode in hard. Taryn recognized Eryc among them, but he and the rest of the small group appeared weary and in shock. Immediately, Taryn dismounted and made for his brother. Eryc, upon seeing him, dismounted and ran up to him. The two brothers embraced each other tightly before Eryc asked Taryn, worriedly, "Taryn, what are you doing here? It's dangerous to be going around Hyrule Field."

Taryn took in his brother's worry and began to get nervous. "Dad sent me to bring you some stuff," he replied. "What happened?"

Eryc's expression went from worry to complete alarm. "We were ambushed by Gerudo raiders," he explained breathlessly. "They killed Dannyl and Lucas. And they captured the Hero!"

There was nothing good about that story, as far as Taryn was concerned. Dannyl and Lucas were neighbors and friends to the two brothers, so their deaths hit Taryn hard. But most alarming was Eryc's last observation that the Gerudo had captured the Hero of Time.

Before Taryn could express his shock, a crowd had gathered around the battered and dispirited Knights. From among them stepped a tall, tanned, athletic lady in iron plate armor with snow-colored hair and hard red eyes. Taryn and Eryc immediately recognized her as Impa, commander of Hylian forces and the last survivor of the near-legendary Sheikah people. The imposing lady made her way over to Eryc and asked, "What is the situation?"

Still as breathless as before, Eryc huffed out, "We got attacked by Gerudo. We lost some good people out there, and the Gerudo captured Link."

Impa visibly stiffened at that. For a time, she didn't respond. Then Eryc, finally finding his breath, said to her, "I can run the message to the Castle if you need."

But the commander was already shaking her head. "We need all hands manning the defenses here. Are there any civilians who could do it?"

Eryc hesitated before replying, "Well, there's my brother here. But he's only fifteen."

Immediately, Taryn felt Impa's gaze lock onto him. "Can you run a message to Hyrule Castle?" she asked levelly.

Suddenly nervous, Taryn nodded. "I – I think so," he answered.

Without showing any emotion, the stern-looking Sheikah nodded. "Good," she said. "I'll have a report written up within a quarter-hour. Make sure to take my personal standard with you so the soldiers at the Castle know I sent you."

Taryn nodded again, following it up with the best salute he could muster. Immediately, Impa retreated to a small wooden building that appeared to be the ranch's command center. Taryn, meanwhile, sat on the grass nearby and waited.

…

It is a foolish person indeed who assumes that the Gerudo Valley is any easier a place to live than the identically-named desert at its end. Nothing inhabits that region, save for hard, dry rocks, dust, sand, and the occasional hardy predator. It takes a hardy folk to make a living in such scarcity.

The Gerudo were exactly that. Skilled in the arts of war and survival alike, they were able to make the most out of their arid surroundings and scrape out an existence, if not exactly a comfortable one.

Seventeen-year-old Evei was no exception to her sisters. Her hard upbringing had been kind to her, and she already was one of her people's finest archers, as well as one of their cleverest riders. Like many of her compatriots, she was no stranger to violence and raiding. In fact, she enjoyed a good brawl every so often.

At this moment, she was sitting in her suite of rooms within her people's great fortress; all Gerudo received a suite of their own once they came of age at fifteen years. She was in the process of honing her long, brass-hilted scimitar when one of her sisters rushed in, looking quite excited indeed.

As Evei looked up in silent inquiry, her comrade breathlessly got out, "The assembly horn is blowing. One of the scouting parties brought in something they want to show everyone." The warrior then ran off. Evei followed at a leisurely walk.

She came eventually to the throne room of the great fortress. It was a substantial space, but it was not very elaborately decorated. Sitting on the sandstone throne was the Gerudo people's recently-returned king, Ganondorf, a seven-foot titan of a man whose skin bore an olive tinge, in contrast to most of his people's copper complexions. As more of Evei's fellows filed in, the throne room began to come alive as if set alight from all the red-headed Gerudo present.

After a time, all of the fortress' residents had gathered, and Ganondorf waved his hand. A small patrol of Gerudo warriors walked in, with a strange, green-clad individual restrained amongst them. This figure was presented to the King, and all the Gerudo in the room got a good look at him.

Evei had seen this Hylian before. Even after two years, she recognized the green tunic and hat, white leggings, unruly blond hair and alert sapphire-colored eyes that characterized the captive.

"My Lord Ganondorf," began one member of the patrol, "We ambushed a squadron of Hylian Knights on training exercises. Among them, we killed four and captured this one. I present to you, Link, the Hylians' so-called Hero of Time."