A Vast Sea
Link always woke before the sun. Such was his duty. He had a family to take care of. Outside, it was still dark, but he moved about the small cottage by the light of the lantern, careful to avoid waking his little sister and his grandmother. He silently changed out of his nightgown and into his daily garb.
It was a simple outfit, consisting of orange-brown pants and a blue shirt with the island's emblem on it. The lobster was displayed proudly in a pale blue fabric. Normally, Link would wear a shirt without sleeves and shorter pants, but it had been cold recently, and he knew he could always change into something lighter if necessary, so after looking himself over, he nodded once and quietly descended into the cottage's main area.
Unlike most of the other houses on the island, his grandmother's cottage did not have more than one room. Instead, the floor's layout was open, although the loft where they slept did allow a decent degree of privacy. The ground floor had two parts, although where one ended and the other began was more a matter of furniture placement than anything else. The first section held a couple of wicker chairs and was where they ate as a family as well as where they entertained guests. The second section was mostly hidden from view, but around the corner was the kitchen, the first destination of his morning.
Link moved swiftly but silently across the stone bricks and entered the kitchen. A small wood-fire stove sat cold in the corner, but that was to change. He walked over to it and opened the iron hatch on the front. It creaked, but since he'd done the same thing every morning for years, he knew it wouldn't wake his family.
A pile of wood logs sat neatly piled next to the stove. Link leaned over and grabbed a couple before setting them into the stove's hatch. The match box rested on the table next to the stove. He reached over, lit a match, tossed it into the stove's chamber, and shut the hatch quietly. With this task done, he smiled to himself and nodded before picking up the nearby water bucket and heading outside.
Outset Island was relatively small compared to the other islands, or so Link assumed. He hadn't actually been off the island, but from what the occasional traders had told him, he wasn't missing too much. The roads on Outset weren't lit like the traders said the other islands' roads were, but they didn't need to be. He knew the island like the back of his hand, if not better. As such, he managed to get to the well with no incidents, even though he almost tripped over a rock that he knew hadn't been there yesterday.
He smiled and shook his head at the antics of the young island boys who lived a little ways down a different path. Even though he might have seriously injured himself, no harm was done, so after filling the bucket with fresh water, he walked back down the path – kicking the rock off the road when he came to it – and reentered his household.
It was never a chore for the young boy. He honestly enjoyed taking care of these types of things. Ever since his parents had disappeared, he'd had to take care of his sister and grandmother, but he really didn't mind. A labor of love, he always said whenever someone asked.
No, what irritated him was getting the door open without spilling any water. It was feasible, but it always took him more time than he'd like. Nevertheless, several minutes later, he'd poured the water into a cast iron pot and set it on the stove to boil. Link rested a moment, hands on his knees and back bent over, but after the moment was over, he stood back up and returned outdoors.
His next task was slightly simpler than gathering fresh water had been. Link walked to the dock and waved over the small boat in the distance. A couple of minutes later, he stepped onto the ship's deck and entered the hold. Link waved at the man sitting behind a desk.
"Hiya, Link," the man said, waving back. "Same thing as usual?"
Link nodded, placing a small sack of rupees on the counter. "Of course, Beedle," he said, laughing.
"Alright," the trader said, moving from behind the counter. "Let me go get everything ready. I'll be right back."
As the man hurried out the door and into the compartments below, Link took a minute to look around the cabin. A small hammock hung from two poles, swaying lightly with the ship. On a shelf behind the desk sat various merchandise, though Link really had no use for things such as arrows or bombs. Outset was a peaceful community; the most violent anyone got was when the children were wrestling.
Between the arrows and the bombs sat a couple of pears, which Link had never noticed before. When Beedle returned to the room, Link pointed at them and asked, "How much for a couple of those?"
Link handed over a small cloth sack, and Beedle set the items he'd retrieved from below deck inside. The trader looked at the pears and laughed before snagging three from the shelf and stuffing them into the sack as well. "Those? No charge! You've been a loyal customer for years, Link."
Link smiled. "Thanks, Beedle."
As the trader counted the rupees lazily – he knew Link would never cheat him, but it was a force of habit – Link hefted the bag onto his shoulders. "Oi, Link! Give your family my regards," Beedle said.
"Sure thing," he responded before leaving the cabin and returning to shore.
Scarcely ten minutes had passed since he'd left the water to boil, so when he finally set his bag down on the table, he was unsurprised to find the water already rolling slightly. He opened his sack and pulled out the pears before setting them aside, for those were for after breakfast. Breakfast today was to consist of hard boiled eggs and bread, so he pulled the eggs and bread out of the bag and set them down next to the pears. He opened the egg carton and pulled out a few of the eggs before setting them gently in the boiling water.
A few minutes later, Link pulled two of the eggs from the boiling water, peeled the shells, and set the eggs down on a small plate. He removed the pan from the stove and placed it on a hot mat on the table. With that done, he turned his attention to the loaf of bread. It needed to be cut. Quietly, he retrieved a long and sharp knife from overhead and started slicing the loaf. He managed to get about ten slices of bread from the loaf before he hit the end. With a smile, he took the two ends from the loaf and placed them on his plate next to the eggs.
By the time he'd finished eating, he could hear stirring from the loft. His sister would be down, soon, having been awoken by the fragrant aromas his food had been emitting. Link looked outside, noting the sun would be up soon. He set his plate next to the washbasin, grabbed one of the three pears, and started out the door.
The sun still hadn't risen, but it was light enough for him to discern the tower on the other side of the island. It was a fairly large tower built from wood, and it had been there longer than anyone could remember. It probably once had a name, but everyone called it Aryll's Lookout after his sister had once climbed all the way to the top and jumped off into the waves below. So really, it was more like, "Aryll! Lookout!" than anything, but it still had a nice ring to it.
His sister claimed that one could see the sun rise from her lookout before anywhere else on the island. No one really believed her besides Link, who'd been one of the few lucky enough to experience it himself. Ever since the first time he'd seen it, he'd worked it into his morning routine to climb the tower shortly before dawn and watch the sunrise.
He looked at the horizon and hurried towards the tower. There really wasn't any need to rush, but for some reason, he suddenly felt like running straight down the hill, and once he hit the bridge, he really didn't feel like stopping. His momentum carried him about a quarter of the way up the ladder to the top of the tower before he started slowing. He made it to the top only slightly winded and shivered, glad he had worn warmer clothes.
He sat down on the guardrail and dangled his feet over the edge. Pulling the pear from his satchel, he bit down into the fruit and smiled. It was unlike anything he'd ever tasted before. He waved away a curious seagull. It was his food, after all.
When the fruit was gone and nothing but the core remained, he pulled himself back onto the lookout and tossed it as far as he could. He laughed as the seagulls flocked to the fruit in a rage. It was gone before it hit the water. Still laughing, he sat back down on the guardrail and waited for the sun to rise.
"Should've known I'd find you here, big brother," said a voice. He turned his head, seeing his sister out of the corner of his eye. Her left hand was on her hip and her right hand held a pear. She bit into it and sat next to him. "You always did love the sunrise."
"Hey, Aryll," he said. "You ate breakfast?"
"Delicious as always, big brother," she responded, hugging him awkwardly so as to avoid falling into the water below. They both knew from experience they'd be fine if they fell, but neither really felt like getting wet on a day as windy as this, so after the hug, she released him and they sat in comfortable silence while watching the sun rise.
Neither of them really had any words as vibrant oranges, majestic violets, and stunning blues filled their vision. Neither really had need for words. Even though both of them had seen the sunrise many times, it always left them speechless.
It wasn't until the sun was above the horizon's edge that his sister turned to him once more and broke the silence. "Happy birthday, big brother!" she exclaimed, smiling at him. "How's it feel to be ten?"
He laughed. "No different than yesterday," he admitted, shrugging. "But that's alright."
She pushed his shoulder lightly. "Come on! Admit it. You're excited!"
He pushed her back, a fake frown on his face. "Nah. Not really."
She practically body checked him, but he still managed to stay on the platform. "Admit it!"
He laughed, hugging his little sister. "Alright, fine! I'm a little excited."
She stood back up and hopped down the foot or so to the lookout's deck. Placing her hands on her hips, she nodded victoriously. "Good." She tapped her toes a little impatiently. "You know, Grandma was looking for you earlier."
"Oh? Why didn't you say anything earlier, then?" he asked.
"Well, it's your birthday, and I wanted you to experience the sunrise…" she trailed off somewhat dejected.
"Relax, Aryll," he said, laughing before hopping to his feet. "I knew Grandma's looking for me. She told me last night that she'd need to talk to me today."
"Jerk!" she yelled, hitting him in the shoulder. Despite her tone, he knew she didn't mean it. After all, his shoulder wouldn't bruise from that punch. "Still, you shouldn't keep her waiting."
He nodded, walking over to the ladder and descending.
There were a couple other people awake on the island, though very few actually awoke as early as he. Those he passed waved and called to Link, but he just pointed at his grandmother's cottage and called back that he'd talk to them after he finished talking to his grandmother. Each person nodded in understanding. Family was important, especially on such a small island community like Outset.
As he entered the cottage, his grandmother's face lit up instantly. "Link! There you are! Thank you for making breakfast," she said.
"You're welcome, Grandma," he replied. "You wanted to see me?"
She nodded. "Ah, yes. Come with me, please," she said, climbing the ladder to the loft. A moment later, he followed. As he reached the top of the ladder, he saw his grandmother pulling something from one of the drawers. "This is for you."
He took the clothes from his grandmother, who turned around so he could don them. It really was more a matter of principle than anything; she was the one who raised him, but it was his birthday, after all; his tenth birthday, actually.
"Alright," he said. "You can turn around, now."
The elderly woman did so and covered her mouth with one hand as she gasped. "Oh, you look just like your father."
He walked over to the mirror and examined himself. It was a fairly comfortable outfit, admittedly, though the heavy green fabric would suggest otherwise. The tunic was a little large for him on the shoulders, and the pants just a tad too long, but his grandmother waved it off. "Go ahead and change out of them," she said. "Orca and Sturgeon have gifts for you as well. I'll fix this while you go visit them."
Orca and Sturgeon were probably the oldest men on Outset. They were brothers, but they couldn't be more different. Due to an injury in his youth, Orca lived on the ground floor of the brothers' house, while Sturgeon studied his books on the upper floor. They were nice enough, Link supposed as he changed back into his normal clothes, but they had a tendency to ramble about their youth.
He handed the clothes back to his grandmother and left the house. Unlike most houses on the island, the brothers' house was actually fairly close to his grandmother's. In fact, Link could see Sturgeon up on the porch.
"Hoy there," the elderly man said as he approached. "Link! Well, I'll be a codfish! Ten already?"
Link climbed the ladder and hugged the old man. "Yes sir," he said.
"And so polite, too! Well, do come in, lad!" he exclaimed as he opened the door to his room. He waited for Link to enter before following him and closing the door. "Sit, lad! Sit!"
Link sat in the closest chair and waited for Sturgeon to hobble over to one of his bookcases. "It took a lot of persuasion," the man said while searching, "but I finally managed to convince your grandmother it was time."
He walked over to Link and handed him a scroll. "What is this?" Link asked, staring at it.
"Open it, lad! But carefully!"
The young boy carefully broke the seal on the scroll before unrolling the parchment. Link gasped as he took in the scroll's contents.
"A sea chart?! Sturgeon, you shouldn't have!" Despite his words, Link was incredibly grateful.
"But not just any sea chart, lad!" Sturgeon replied knowingly. "Your father's sea chart! He left it with me with the explicit instruction to give it to you on your tenth birthday."
Link lurched out of his chair and hugged the surprised man. "Sturgeon, thank you!"
"Happy Birthday, Link," the man said. The house shook before a pot fell from one of his shelves. "Ooh, Orca!"
Link held back a laugh as Sturgeon shouted at his brother through the floor. Finally, the man seemed to calm down. He smiled apologetically. "Terribly sorry about that. That reminds me, though. Orca has a present for you too. When he gives it to you, just remember that strength isn't everything!"
The young boy stood and bowed at the man. "Thank you, Sturgeon."
"Don't bow at me, lad! You're a man, now! Depart like a man!" Despite still calling him lad (Link suspected that would never stop), Sturgeon held out a hand, which Link grasped and shook. "That's better. Now, go run along and play with Orca. Honestly, I'll never understand that man and his fascination with swords…"
Link left, pretending not to hear that last word, even though internally, he was euphoric. A sword! He was getting a sword! He joyfully hopped off the upper deck of the brothers' house, rolling when he hit the ground. A sword!
He ran inside the lower level. "Hey, Orca!"
"Link, my boy!" said the elderly fisherman. "So I managed to rescue you from my brother's grasp after all."
Link laughed, setting the sea chart inside his satchel and placing the bag on the ground by the door. "It wasn't so bad. He gave me a sea chart!"
"Ah, but it wasn't…" the man paused, a glint in his eye. He turned around, grabbing a bundle of cloth and handing it to Link. The young boy unwrapped the cloth. "A sword."
Link gasped and smiled. Despite having some forewarning thanks to Orca's older brother, he was still stunned by the simplistic utility. It was not gaudy, as some of the ornamental swords he'd seen in some of Sturgeon's books were, but plain. The hilt was simple leather, and the blade steel. He looked up at the man, who nodded.
Hastily – but carefully – Link grasped the sword in his left hand and backed away from Orca. He gave it a few test swings and grinned. "Orca, it's perfect!"
"Now, I know you've been training with a wooden sword, but it's quite different from the real thing," he said, grabbing his spear from the corner. "You need some practice with that before I can, in good conscious, let you take it. Prove to me you deserve it, boy!"
Link grinned and rushed at the fisherman in a horizontal strike. He blocked it with his spear but yelled "Again", prompting the boy to do so another two times. Following that, he lunged towards the fisherman, who sidestepped and hit him with the blunt end of his spear. He winced. That hurt more than Aryll's punch had.
Determined to prove his worth, Link let loose a great yell and jumped at the fisherman.
"Good," Orca said, rubbing his shoulder with his free hand. "But don't advertise your approach like that. Now, there's something I've seen your father do. I've never successfully done it myself, though, and I've always wondered if you could do it too."
Link cocked his head and caught his breath. "Oh?"
"The spin attack. The ultimate defense. Sometimes, you'll find yourself surrounded by foes from all angles. In this case, you'd simply spin in place, slashing your sword in a wide circle. I've never managed to do it correctly, though. For some reason, that's not all it takes…"
"You mean like this?" Link asked. He held his sword behind him and took a deep breath. He yelled, spinning the sword around in a circle. Orca stood, jaws wide.
"Exactly like that! Do it again!"
Link smiled, demonstrating the attack once more. He watched carefully this time and gasped when a glowing green circle which had come into existence at the start of his spin faded away at the end of it.
"That's it! That's the Spin Attack! That's fantastic, Link!" Orca said, gaping. "I'm very proud of you!"
"Thank you for everything, Orca," Link said.
"You're quite welcome, boy," the man responded. He walked over to the drawers lining the wall, opening one and pulling out a sheath. "This goes with your sword. Make sure you strap it on tight! You don't want it falling off."
Link took the sheath from the man and sheathed his sword. "Thank you, Orca."
"You're welcome, young man."
Link nodded and collected his bag. "Goodbye, Orca."
"Bye, Link! Come back if you ever need more practice!"
After replying that he would come back if he needed practice, Link left the brothers' abode and returned to his grandmother's cottage. As he entered the small house, his grandmother sat in one of the chairs in the main section and held the hemmed outfit in her lap. He walked over to it, took it from her, climbed the ladder to the loft, and changed into it.
It fit perfectly, but it felt incomplete. Link strapped the sword's sheath to his back, nodded once, and climbed down the ladder once more. His grandmother gasped. "Oh! It looks great!"
"It feels great to wear. It's surprisingly comfortable," he said.
"But you know, I think I forgot something. Give me a second," she responded, standing out of her chair. She climbed to the loft and returned moments later holding a green hat. Link grinned, taking it from her and placing it on his head.
"That's better," he said, nodding.
"You don't have to wear this anymore after today if you don't want to," his grandmother said.
"I will, though," Link responded. "It just feels right."
"That's what your father said, too. He wore his for over a week straight before taking it off." She laughed. "Please make sure to wash it."
He smiled and nodded.
"Oh! I think Aryll has her present for you," his grandmother said. "Better go get it from her!"
Link felt rather giddy as he returned to his sister's lookout for the second time that morning. A sword, a sea chart, and a new outfit. As he climbed the ladder to the lookout, he wondered what his sister could have gotten him.
She sat on the handrail, looking out at the sea. Link walked up to her and tapped her shoulder.
"Aren't those a bit hot?" she asked, stifling a giggle.
"Actually, no," he responded, shaking his head. "They're really comfortable, too."
"That's good," she said, returning her gaze to the ocean. "You look good."
"Thanks."
"So I got you something," she said after a moment. Aryll stood up and hopped to the deck of the lookout. "Turn around, big brother!"
Laughing, he complied. He could hear her messing around with something in her pockets as he chuckled quietly.
"Alright, you can turn around now!"
She held a simple wooden telescope in her hands and offered it to him. He gasped. "Aryll, is that…"
Nodding, she said, "Uh huh! It's papa's telescope! It's my most prized possession, but now it's yours!"
He lunged at her and hugged her. "Aryll…"
"Are you crying?" she said, giggling.
"Yeah," he said after a moment. "Aryll, thank you. I know how much this means to you. I'll take good care of it!"
"You'd better!" She stomped her foot, but her eyes gleamed with joy. "Well? Aren't you gonna try it out?"
Tears in his eyes, he nodded. He put the lens of the telescope to his eye and looked through it.
"You know, it's around the time that the mail comes," his sister said. "Maybe you can get a good look at the delivery rito."
Taking the hint, he turned the device to the mailbox in front of his house.
"Hey, it's Quill!" he exclaimed. "It's been a while since I've talked to him."
The rito, a strange species similar to hylians. Different only in their wings and beaks, the tribe was generally very calm and composed. They often served as couriers, delivering mail to and from the various islands of the Great Sea. This particular rito, Quill, was familiar to Link and Aryll, for he was the typical courier of Outset. The powerful vision the bird-men possessed allowed Quill to spot the two on the lookout. Quill waved at them before turning away to take off.
But he froze in shock as he looked at the sky. At that instant, a terrible explosion sounded from the ocean, and his sister yelled in terror. "Big Brother! Look! In the sky!"
He turned the telescope's gaze to the sky, finding a giant, crowned bird flying away from a large, wooden ship. Another booming burst and a cannonball flew from the ship, aimed at the bird. The flying beast dodged and continued towards Outset. But as Link watched through the knowing gaze of his father's telescope, he noticed something peculiar in the bird's talons. A girl.
What could a bird want with a girl? Link wondered internally. Finally, though, the ship got lucky and landed a strike on the giant winged beast. The cannonball hit the bird in the face, and the girl in its talons fell into the forest on the upper part of Outset.
"Oh no," Link said, gasping. "Aryll, she fell!"
"Who fell, Big Brother?" his sister asked.
"The girl! The girl the bird had! I've got to help her!"
With that, he jumped off Aryll's Lookout onto the dock and took off towards the hill. There was only one path to the forest, and it was always overgrown with small shrubs. Unsheathing his new sword, he cut down the growth and made his way to the top. There, he sheathed it again, for he knew it would be unwise to cross the bridge with a brandished sword.
Outset, widely considered to be one island, was actually comprised of two very close islands connected by bridges. Speculation said that at one point, the islands were one, but no matter the case, they were no longer. Each had two sections, a lower and an upper. But only from one half of the island could both parts reached. It was from this part that a rickety rope bridge swung to connect the upper islands.
Tentatively, Link crossed it to the forest. He'd done it before, of course. All the children had. But it was always unsettling. Only Aryll was able to cross it without fear. His sister, the fearless child.
The forest. While most everyone on the island had been on the bridge, few were courageous enough to brave the forest. Many myths and legends surrounded it. Some said that the ghost of an evil demon lord resided in it while others said that a mystical fairy lived in a fountain somewhere in its depths. While most stories conflicted about what the forest contained, all warned that children should be wary of it, as monsters ran rampant. But while most children would worry that the monsters would leave the forest, the adults knew better; the monsters were just as afraid of the bridge as the people were.
But all stories about the forest left Link's mind as he entered, for dangling from a branch was the girl. She appeared unconscious, but he knew that when she awoke, she'd struggle and the branch would break. He could already see the branch starting to creak with her weight.
So he hurried. The tree she hung from was not easily accessible, as he found out. His goal taunting him just out of reach, he was forced to trek through the forest on the path. Five minutes passed uneventfully as he worked through the forest. Again, the thoughts of the forest stories came to mind, and absently, he wondered where the monsters were.
But the thought came too soon because at that instant, a fierce roar came from a bush near him. He drew his sword, fearing whatever creature could be in the bush's depths. Again came the roar, and an ugly, boar-like creature jumped from it. With green skin speckled with warts, it came at him brandishing a long, elaborate stick. It swung, aiming for his head, but Link raised his sword to block and counterstrike.
A minute passed in this manner before finally the creature's body fell and moved no more. Link bent down and wiped his sword on the moist morning grass, cleansing it of filth. When he returned his gaze to where the monster's body had laid, he was surprised to find a clean, red gemstone in its place. A red rupee, worth twenty greens. He couldn't believe his luck. But he knew he had little time to spare, so Link sheathed his sword, grabbed the gem, and took off down the path again.
And not a moment too soon, he came to the girl's tree. As he looked up at her, wondering how to get her down, she awoke. True to his speculation, she started to struggle, and consequently, she fell, crashing to the ground, landing lengthwise on top of him, their noses a mere inch apart.
She opened her eyes again, staring into his own. She flushed and stood immediately. "W-who are you?" she demanded after regaining her composure. Her hands were on her hips, and her foot was tapping impatiently.
He stood slowly, brushing the dirt and leaves from his tunic. "I'm Link!" he exclaimed, reaching his hand out.
She scoffed and turned away, nose stuck up. Her blonde hair was held in a bun on the back of her head, but her bangs hung free in front of her face. A small sabre dangled from the belt on her waist, reaching no further than her knees. She wore sandals on her feet and a scarf wrapped around her neck. "Where are we?"
"Miss Tetra!" hollered a voice from the forest's entrance. "Miss Tetra! There you are. We've looked all over for you. Good to see you're in one piece after that giant bird dropped you in the forest."
"I'm fine, Gonzo. Let's go." The girl, Tetra, jumped from the ledge to meet the large man. Like her, the man was dressed for the sea.
"But Miss! What about the boy?" asked the sailor.
"Leave him," said Tetra.
Without another word, the man followed her out of the forest. Link stood agape, wondering who this strange girl was before jumping off the ledge himself and following them out of the forest.
As he left the growth, he saw his sister waving at him from across the bridge. "Big Brother!" Aryll yelled. "Did you save her?"
In her rush to get her question answered, she ran across the bridge to him. But in the middle of the bridge, in an instant, she vanished. Link watched, frozen in fear as the giant bird flew away with his little sister.
"Aryll!" he screamed, running after the bird, mind focused only on saving her. In a second, the ground vanished from under his feet, and he found himself plummeting towards the sea.
"Stupid boy," said the girl as his tunic jerked and he stopped falling. "She's gone. There's nothing you can do."
"Aryll…" he cried.
The sailor hauled the two of them back to the ground. "Stupid kid," he grunted. "You could've died."
Tetra shook her head and walked across the bridge. She spared a brief glance of pity back at Link, but continued walking. Her older friend followed, leaving Link to sit in silence.
Several minutes later, he stood, resolved. He'd fix this. He ran across the bridge, racing down the hill to the docks. There, he stopped the girl, Tetra, from boarding her ship. "Take me with you."
She froze. "W-what?"
"I said, take me with you."
"Absolutely not!" she yelled. "The sea is no place for a sniveling wimp. The sea is rough, untamable except by an elite few. You'd never survive."
"My sister is gone!" he cried. "I have to save her!"
"That's not my problem," she said, turning her head away from him.
"Actually," said a voice. "If I may, I believe it is, Miss Pirate."
"Oh? What might a rito have to say about the problems of men?" sneered the sailor.
"This rito happens to know that that bird only came to this island because you, pirates, chased it here. And do you know what else? That bird only took sweet Aryll because it mistook her for you, Miss Pirate," Quill, postman of Outset, said. "In fact, young girls with pointed ears are disappearing all over the Great Sea."
"Well…" Tetra stammered. "Um…"
"So it sounds like it's your fault this boy's sister was taken," he finished.
"Well, even if I were to take him with us, I don't know where that bird went," she finally said, proud of herself for coming up with a seemingly valid excuse.
"That bird was only operating under its master. It took her where it took all the other girls: the Forsaken Fortress."
Tetra and her sailor gasped. "No…"
"I'm afraid so. And you owe it to Link to take him there to rescue his sister," the rito postman said.
"Fine," she grumbled. "But you can't expect free passage, kid."
"I'll work! Anything to save my sister!" Link yelled, hugging the girl. "Thank you!"
"H-hey!" she yelled, struggling slightly to get from his grip. "W-what are you doing?"
"Hugging you! It's an Outset thanks!" he said, finally releasing her.
"W-well…" she said, pinks flushed. She turned away, unable to look him in the eyes. "Gonzo. Are we ready to leave?"
"Aye, aye, Miss Tetra!" the sailor said, saluting.
"Good. Link, was it? We're leaving. Get on the ship," she said, still looking away from him. "And no more Outset Thank Yous. At least," she mumbled, barely audible. "Not in front of the crew."
Link ran up the gangplank. "Thank you, Quill," he called from the ship's deck.
"You're welcome, Link," said the rito. "Good luck!"
"Link!" yelled a voice. "Link, what's happened?"
The young boy froze. His grandmother stood on the deck of the ship, arms crossed and a worried look on her face. "Grandma… Aryll's gone."
The old woman nodded sadly. "So it's begun. Link, what are you going to do?"
"Grandma, I have to save her. I must!" he yelled, hugging the woman.
"I know, dear," she said, holding him tight. "It's your destiny."
"I don't know anything about destiny," interjected Tetra. "But it is his duty to save her. Link, it's the duty of a brother to protect his sister. Quill was right and I was wrong. I'm sorry."
Link released his grandmother and hugged the pirate. "Thank you."
"Link, everyone's watching!" she whispered through clenched teeth.
"I don't care," he said, finally releasing her. "Wouldn't you rather a kind reputation?"
"Pirates aren't kind, Link," she said after a moment's silence. "But we have a kind of honor."
"Link," said his grandmother. "Take this."
In her outstretched hands rested a small wooden shield reinforced with iron. He took it in his arms, tears splashing on the stained wood. "Grandma…"
"Go, Link. Your destiny awaits. Just… promise me something…"
"Anything!"
"Bring her home safely," she said. "And bring yourself home safely, too."
"I will."
She nodded. "Good." Turning her attention to the pirate captain, she added, "And you, Miss Pirate. Take good care of my grandson."
Tetra merely turned away as the woman walked off her ship. "Fine. Crew! Time to shove off!"
"Aye aye, Miss!" sounded the response.
As the ship erupted into action, the pirate captain turned back to Link. "Don't worry, Link. We'll get your sister back."
He moved to thank her again, but she took a step back. "No, don't thank me. This is my fault," she said sadly. "Anyways, let's get you situated. Follow me to your quarters."
Without waiting for a response, the blonde-haired pirate turned and walked to the door leading below deck. Link followed her as she led him through the halls. They stopped in front of a door frame with a curtain for a door. "This is where you stay."
"Miss Tetra!" yelled Gonzo, the only sailor Link currently recognized. "That's your cabin!"
"I know what this is," she said, stomping her foot. "But we have no more bunks to spare."
"There aren't any in your cabin either, Miss," said Gonzo.
"My bed is large enough for two, Gonzo," Tetra said. "My mind is made up."
"Miss, I strongly disagree with your decision."
She laughed. "As long as that doesn't turn into action, that's alright. Link, come on." She held open the curtain, leading him inside.
"This is your cabin?" Link asked, looking around. On the wall hanging above the bed was a portrait of a man in clothes not unlike his wielding a sword and bringing light to the picture realm.
"It is," Tetra said. "D-don't get any funny ideas, though. This is the only solution."
"Thank you," he said. "I understand."
"Link," she whispered, facing him and drawing him into a hug. "Thank you for saving me. If it wasn't for you…"
"If it wasn't for me, Gonzo would've saved you," Link said. "But you're welcome."
"We'll get back your sister, Link," she whispered into his ear. "I promise. We'll do it together."
"I'd give you an Outset thanks," he said, smiling. "But… I think you're still thanking me."
"The sentiment is what counts," she said. "But we have work to do. Are you ready, Crewman Link?"
He nodded. "I'm ready, Captain Tetra."
"Well then, it's time we set sail. We're going to save your sister!"
The End
And that's the end of "A Vast Sea". This story has been in progress for quite some time, admittedly. It's a bit of an experiment, just like the rest of the oneshots I write. This particular story was an experiment in narrative style. I'm... largely unused to this particular style of writing; typically, it's pretty jumpy. But for what it's worth, I think it turned out well.
As this was an experiment, I'd like feedback. I know authors tend to ask for reviews; in this, I am no different. But you see, the reason is simple: we strive to get better. I cannot say the reason that other authors write, but I know my own, and it is as I stated. For this reason, I ask that you review. Tell me what I did well, what I didn't, what I could do better. Tell me what failed and what evoked emotions. All comments are welcome, all criticisms taken seriously.
Dearest readers, thank you for your time. I hope to see you again in another story.
- Espeon