I do not own any Legend of Zelda characters. Nor do I own the story, this is just a story I've written for fun and enjoyment. I hope those that read it will also enjoy.
Real action won't begin until around chapter three, but bare with me. I have things to do.
Legend of Zidane: Twilight Prince
Chapter One: The Hero ... Heroine!?
With the sun setting over Faron Spring the world was bathed in a red and golden hue, the half light shimmering on the spring's crystal water mesmerising two individuals who sat on the grassy banks of the spring after collecting fire wood for a nearby village, a beautiful chesnut and white mare stood in the background grazing on the grass and flowers around her, bundles of large twigs and chopped branches tied to her sadle. One of the figures who sat at the spring was a middle aged man, a fighter's look about him made all the more so because of the finely crafted sword straped to his back, his companion was a woman in her late teens, long blonde hair was tied back to stay out of her face as she worked, a part of her unruly fringe hung in front of her left eye, both of which were a beautiful shade of blue. A silence reigned over the pair for a few minutes while they sat and watched and listened to the spring's lapping waters, it was the older man, Rusl, who broke the silence and serenity of the moment. "They say its the only time the two worlds connect," the warrior said, more like he was speaking to himself, but Laika knew better, this man was like a father to her "the only time we can feel the lingering regrets of those of the other realm. That is why there is always a feeling of loneliness in the hours of twilight."
"It unsettles me." Laika responded, Rusl turned his head to look at her. "I do not know why, I feel like... like some kind of trapped animal sitting here, watching." Rusl already knew, Laika had said something like this before when she was younger. He smiled to himself and decided that it was time to show Laika that the world was not a place to be feared anymore, she was eighteen after all.
"Laika, I have a favour to ask you." the young woman turned her head to face Rusl, looking at him with her striking blue eyes. "I was asked by the mayor to take a gift to the royal family of Hyrule, the day after tommorow, but would you go in my stead. It is not just that I wish you to see the land of Hyrule in all Her glory for yourself, but Uli is due any day now, I wish to be with her at the birth." Laika just nodded her head, not really understanding what she had got herself into, but she knew that Rusl wouldn't have asked her if he didn't think she could do it. "We should go, it is getting late, I will tell the mayor of this matter before I return home. You get some sleep too." The two got up from the ground and dusted themselves off before Laika called Epona and took hold of her reigns, leading the gentle mare along the path that led to the village and across the bridge which Rusl closed and locked before continuing along the path. Just beyond Ordon Spring was Laika's treehouse, nestled in a little clearing just before the village proper. Laika had lived in it since its construction and it was now considered one of the best houses in Ordon Village. There were two figures waiting for their return by the entrance to the village; it was Uli and Collin, Rusl's wife and son. Laika watched, tethering Epona to the ladder leading to the door of her treehouse, as Rusl's family greeted him. The whole family then turned to her wishing her a goodnight and Collin smiled brightly back at her as the family went to their home in the village, Laika gave him a warm smiled back before turning to her own home and going to bed.
Laika woke up with a start, not sure what had woken her she sat up in bed, trying to see if anything had fallen. Nothing looked out of place and she was sure it couldn't be morning already, it felt like she had only just fallen asleep.
"Laika, are you home?!" it was Fado's voice, a young man she also knew from her childhood, he was outside calling her. The young woman got up and went to the window to see a somewhat tall man with a big nose was outside looking up at her. It was indeed Fado. "You are home! Great! Can you help me herd the goats, they're not listening to me lately."
"I'll be right down Fado!" Laika called down. It seemed her warm bed would have to wait until later, as a ranch hand she had to help Fado when he was having trouble. She quickly redressed into her day clothes and went to Fado outside, noticing Epona wasn't tethered on the ladder anymore and she was nowhere to be seen. Fado was naturally worried, it was differcult to herd goats by hand, Epona as a nessecity when herding skittish goats, Laika and Epona were a good team, herding seemed to come naturally to them.
"Laika, where's Epona?" asked the young rancher.
"I have a feeling I know where she is." Laika said.
"Oh, alright, I'll go on ahead and wait, hurry and we can have them all in the stable before nightfall." Fado made his way back to the ranch while Laika traversed the path that led back to Ordon Spring. Ilia, the mayor's daughter, had probably taken Epona to the spring. Although Epona had never let anyone but Laika ride her, Ilia was hoping to work her way into the horse's favour. Laika reached the Ordon Spring and discovered that she was right; a young woman, the same age as herself and wearing a simple short dress with a pair of shorts was strapping Epona's sadle back onto her strong back and the chesnut mare looked much cleaner. Laika watched as her friend talked to the patient mare as she worked with the sadle, making sure all the straps were tight but not tight enough to cause discomfort to the horse. Ilia's head turned when she felt a presence behind her, seeing her childhood friend she cast a smile, which was rewarded in kind by Laika.
"Hi Laika, I thought you were asleep." the young woman said, confessing that she had taken Epona.
"I thought I was too, but Fado needs help with the goats." Laika bent over and plucked a strange horse-shoe shaped reed from its stem and blew into the hollow plant, a simple tune graced the air and Epona walked over to Laika. Ilia walked over when Laika finished the tune. "Epona isn't the only one who likes that tune, I couldn't herd gosts on you Ilia." Laika joked with her friend.
"And if you were hoping for a conversation you wouldn't get very far with Epona." Ilia replied though a short laugh.
"I don't know, she's a good listener." Laika mounted Epona with ease, the horse hardly moving an ear as Laika got herself comfortable in the sadle. "Would you like a ride home?" Laika asked offering Ilia a hand up onto Epona.
"You wouldn't mind?"
"Of course not, we've got to go that way anyway to reach the ranch." Laika gently took hold of Ilia's arm and pulled her up behind her, again, Epona didn't move. It was strange, Laika was the only person the chestnut mare would ever let ride her, practiclly everyone else had tried to ride Epona but she had bucked everyone of them off. However, whenever Laika gave a ride to someone else the mare was on her best behavior. Laika had trained her well. Once Ilia was sat comfortably behind Laika she urged Epona on, back down the path to Laika's house and then on into the village. It was a simple but picturesque village, some would say boring, others would say perfect, but to Laika, Ordon village was the world. She had never seen outside of Ordon, the furthest she had been in her life was the entrance to the huge building deep inside Faron Woods, home to some trouble-making monkeys and their baboon leader. Laika had seen no further, she had never had need to, everyting she needed was here in Ordon, wether it was food, water, a home and many, many friends who she loved dearly. Epona's hooves carried them back to the little hamlet where the villagers were just beginning to ready their homes and stores for the coming night. As the reconisible mare and her two passengers past by the merchant family who lived near the prime fishing spot in the village the family waved to them as they went about closing up their small shop. Further ahead on the path Laika saw Collin and Uli watching Rusl practise his swordsmanship on a small platform suspended just above the level of the creek that ran through the village. The two young women waved as they past the small family, which would soon be one bigger within the next few weeks. Continuing along the well worn path through the village and over a small bridge they came to Ilia's home, the Mayor's house, where the large, powerful man was waiting outside for his beloved daughter to come home.
"I wondered where you'd got to," the Mayor smiled as he helped his daughter dismount from behind Laika "Fado just ran past back to the ranch, Laika. Does he need help?"
"Do you really need to ask?" the mayor shook his head.
"Go on, you better go and help him before more of the goats get loose."
"See you around, Laika. Don't go jumping fences." Ilia said as she went into her home, followed by her father, Laika and Epona carried on up the hill that led to Ordon Ranch where Fado and the goats were waiting for them.
Fado was waiting for Laika and her steed by the entrance of the ranch, making sure none of the goats tried to make a bid for freedom. Once Laika and Epona were through the gate Fado quickly shut the gate behind them and moved to the side to stay out of the way as the herding partners looked around the herd to find a good place to start.
"If you can herd them before the sun sets you'd have broken your record, Laika." Fado called over to her.
"Keep your fingers crossed." Laika called back seeing Fado cross his fingers in front of him. The young blonde saw a small group of goats gathered together near the back of the herd and decided they were a good place to start. She spurred Epona on and as she began to steer the goats more small groups were caught up in the movement as they attempted to flee Epona, some of them were able to break off but Laika would be able to round them up once the large group were taken care of. After just a few minutes the ordon goats were finally in their stable and Fado quickly followed so he could get the goats into their pens, meanwhile, Epona and Laika were rounding up the stragglers which had broken off from the main herd.
"That's it!" Fado said triumpthantly as he pushed the last goat into its pen. Laika and Epona were outside watching Fado check the goats over; he stopped at a particular one who was limping slightly. "Um, I better see what's wrong with you." the young man said to the injured goat. "Laika, you can go home, I better check this rascal before I turn in."
"Are you sure you're going to be alright on your own?" Laika asked
"Yeah, you go home and rest up. I should be alright on my own tomorrow, you deserve the break."
"Okay, thanks Fado. See you about." Laika called as she spurred Epona again gathering speed so the chesnut mare could jump the gate to the ranch. Ilia's voice sounded in her head for a breif second, but it was just one jump and it was quite a simple jump that Epona had taken many times before. It was darker now, and all the villagers who had been outside had retreated into their homes. It was calming, Laika swayed slightly in the sadle as she allowed her mind to wander, she trusted Epona to take her home as she had treaded the path many times before. It was a quiet ride back to her treehouse where her bed waited for her return. Laika once more tethered Epona to the post outside and climbed the ladder to her treehouse.
Sunlight was streaming in through the top wndow of her treehouse when Laika awoke in the morning, groggy and entangled in her bed covers. Since she had no work today Laika would've been happy to stay tangled in her covers with the morning sun streaming on her face. However, the familar voices of children were calling to her from outside. Knowing they wouldn't leave and that they would eventually come into her treehouse to wake her up anyway, Laika untangled her legs and got to her feet. Dressing in her clothes quickly she peered out of her window and saw Beth, Talo and Malo looking up at her from the ground outside.
"Come on, Laika, it's morning already!" Talo's voice called to her, his arms waving to make sure he had her attention. Through a yawn Laika was somehow able to say she would be down in a second. Pulling away from her window she yawned again and stretched to try and remove the last vestiges of sleep from her muscles, after which, she climbed down the two ladders and outside into the sun. Laika saw Colin stroking Epona where the chesnut mare was tethered. Beth, Talo and Malo rushed over to her, Talo's voice more noticable above the other two.
"Talo, slow down, use small words I'm still half asleep." Laika said, successfully quiting down the trio of children crowding her.
"There's a slingshot for sale in Beth's shop! A slingshot!" Talo said, obviously excited about the prospect of a new toy, young Malo seemed to be along the same lines as his older sibling and was mumbling something about needing to know how strong the said slingshot was.
"Talo, if you and Malo want it so bad just save up some rupees!" Nine year old Beth said to the two brothers.
"Do you see any rupees in my hands? We'd never be able to afford that thing."
"You get some from your parents when you do good things don't you?" Laika asked.
"Laika, our allowances are awful. Even if we saved up together we couldn't afford it."Malo said to the young woman. The three continued to argue amognst themselves as Laika was able to slip away and say good morning to Colin who was still with Epona, feeding her handfuls of the long grass he had picked for her. Seeing Laika approach him Colin smiled up at the young woman as she bent slightly to be at his height.
"Morning Laika, I was just saying hello to Epona."
"I know, I saw you. How come you're not with the others?" Laika asked
"I don't like it when they talk about slingshots and swords and things like that." Colin said sincerely "I'd rather play Hide and Seek. I'm happy playing with Epona until they're finished. Oh, are you going into the village?"
"Yes, why do you ask?"
"Could you stop at my house? There's something I want you to have but my father wouldn't let me bring here. He said 'Wait until Laika comes to pick it up herself'." the young boy said, imitating his father's voice as best he could. "My Mom promised she'd give it to you since she's busy getting ready for the new baby."
"I'll stop by." Laika promised and patted the boy's head as she walked to a little 'hide-a-way' behind the huge tree trunk that supported her home. No one else but her knew of this place and since it was the small grassy area that Epona rested in, no one really saw any need to go behind the mare and disturb her. The hollow was a weathered and worn hole that had appeared in the tree trunk over years, just big enough to hide a stache of rupees where no one would find them. Laika wasn't sure about how much the slingshot would cost, so she counted out fifty rupees to be safe, she was sure it wouldn't be any more expensive than that. The young ranch hand wasn't just getting the slingshot for the children but it sounded like it would be a good investment for keeping those annoying spiders off her tree house; the amount of times she returned from a particular hard day of work to find one of those danmed spiders clinging to her ladder. 'Hopefully I won't have to use one of Epona's old horseshoes anymore.' Laika transferred the counted rupees into her old wallet that Rusl had given her when she was just a child, it was just a bag madefrom a goat's stomach with a bit of string used to tie its opening, but while it was a bit worn it showed no sign of tearing. Once everything had been counted right and her wallet tied to her leather belt she made her way into the village.
It was the height of summer and the sun was beating down on the small village, even the shade provided very little in the way of relief. As Laika reached the entrance to village the first person she saw was Hanch, Beth's father, who was throwing stones up at a bee hive in the large tree that made the roof of Fado's house. Although worried about what would happen, if he was able to hit the bee hive; she didn't really want to disturb him, so went on her way and followed a small worn, dirt path down to the small shop. This was Beth's house where the young girl, her father and her mother lived and ran their small buisness from. Going into the small shop she saw that Sera was looking around for something around behind the counter and the small storage. Hearing her door open the plump woman stood up and looked at who had walked in, seeing Laika she gave the younger woman a quick smile but it was easy to see Sera was flustered about something. "Morning Sera, what's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing to get you worried, Honey." Sera said, coming to stand behind the counter. "My little cat took some fish I was preparing for dinner last night, after I scolded him he ran off, now I can't stop worrying about him. Oh! Look, I'm sorry Honey, but I'm not serving anyone today, until I find him, okay?"
"Okay, see you later. I hope you find your cat." Laika said as Sera went back to looking for her cat. Back outside, Laika couldn't help but feel a little down, she had seen the slingshot behind Sera's counter, but without that little cat Sera wouldn't be selling anything anytime soon.
"Hey, Laika! Up here girlie!" it was Jaggle's voice, Talo and Malo's father. Looking around, the young woman saw the mill worker standing on top of the bluff beside the creek.
"You okay, Jaggle?"
"I'm fine, would you come up here? There's something you should see." The older male asked, motioning to the ivy he must have used to climb the bluff. Laika went over, not sure what would be so interesting to Jaggle that he had to show it to someone, but she climbed the ivy anyway, knowing that the strong vines would easily hold her wieght. Jaggle helped her up from the edge and she was able to stand next to him as he pointed down to the small wooded peir behind his mill. There, Laika saw Sera's cat, the recognisible white and tortoiseshell cat was staring at the fish in the creek. "What is that cat doing? It can't catch no fish in that creek, the water's way too deep." said Jaggle watching the small cat for a second before turning back to Laika to talk again. "Actually, that's not why I called you up here. Look over there, on the other bluff." Doing so, Laika saw some blades of grass growing from the bluff, she recognised the grass blades as hawk grass from the unique shape of the grass blades.
"Hawk grass? Strange for it to grow there." Laika said
"I know, that's why I called you up, I wasn't too sure if it could be hawk grass growing here, I knew you would know so that's why I called you." Jaggle and Laika talked a bit more on the grass before Laika crossed over to the other bluff to pick some of the grass as Jaggle went back to lounging on the bluff. Placing the grass corectly in her fingers and to her lips she blew the blades, creating a tune that often called the hawk of this area to the hand. Once Laika finished the tune the hawk came to rest on her shoulder. A handsome, strong bird that seemed very tame for a wild animal. Seeing Hanch was still trying to knock down the bee hive she decided that a hawk would be better at not angering the bees inside.
"Hanch!" Laika shouted to the thin man stood at the foot of the tree."Let me do that! Look out!" Hanch backed off a bit from the tree and Laika sent the hawk to the hive. The hawk caught the hive and dislodged it from its branch. The hive broke on impact with the ground and the bees scattered.
"Thanks Laika!" Hanch shouted, collecting some of the honey comb, licking his fingers every so often because of the honey. Laika was going to climb back down from the bluff to tell Sera where her cat was, hopefully she would sell the slingshot when she learned her cat was alright. But, just as she was about to jump back over to Jaggle to climb down to the village she heard something at the other end of the creek. Looking closely she saw that one of the mokeys that had been causing alot of trouble in the village was jumping up and down on a small jut of land oppersite Sera's store, it was holding what looked like a basket that it must have taken from one of the village homes. Quickly picking some of the hawk grass she jumped over to another bluff in the lake. Calling the hawk again she hoped the hawk was quick enough to take the basket off the monkey before it ran off. The handsome bird was was quick and was able to get the woven basket easily before bringing it back to Laika with ease, leaving the monkey on the jut of land with nothing. With the basket, Laika made her way back down to the village where she was able to look at the woven basket closer, realising that it was Uli's baby carrier. How did that monkey get this? Uli is really careful with this. Laika thought to herself. Deciding that the monkey must have somehow taken it down the creek after taking it from Uli's house she followed the path further into the village, knowing that Uli must be looking for it by now. She didn't have long to wait until she saw she was right. Uli was looking out down the creek, obviously searching for something that must have floated down... or was taken by a monkey down the creek. Laika walked up to the older woman, catching the gravid woman's eye, whose face lit up when she saw Laika carrying her baby basket.
"Laika, where did you find that basket?"
"I had to get it off a monkey."
"A monkey? But I saw it float off down the creek." Uli said, confused that Laika had to take it from one of the forest monkeys that kept comming to the village.
"Perhaps it picked it up some where further down the creek, but its back now." the young woman assured her elder. Uli gave another warm smile and nodded slightly.
"Yes, yes it is. Thank you Laika." Uli then remembered that her son had left something for Laika at their home and invited the younger woman to walk with her. "Could you bring that basket back for me? I almost forgot, I was asked to give you something if I saw you today." Laika easily consented, but then that was Laika, not a day seemed to go by without someone needing her help. The two women walked back to a small house, somewhat tucked away from the rest of the village where Uli, Rusl and Colin lived, and it wouldn't be too long before a fourth member of their family would soon be joining them. Laika loved this house, she had called it home herself for the first nine years of her life, when she had lived with Rusl and Uli before they had Colin. Rusl and Uli were more like her parents and young Colin, of course, her little brother. Uli opened the door long enough for Laika to walk in and place the basket on a small table nearby, meanwhile Uli took a seat in a chair and gently pulled a fine looking, if somewhat unpolished fishing rod from behind a chest in the corner.
"So that's my new fishing rod?" Laika said, not really questioning but more as a statement as she took the yellow rod from Uli.
"My son made that with instruction from his father, he hopes you like it."
"It's lovely, I've never seen one so colourful." Laika said, observing its yellow and red shaft. After a few more minutes of talking with her mother figure Laika went on her way, she had other things to do. Namely try and get Sera's cat so she could get that slingshot. But first, she had some fishing to do. When Laika made it to the fishing pier behind Jaggle's watermill, Sera's cat was still there looking into the creek, but when Laika attempted to pick the small cat up it ran away. Too excited with her new toy, Laika just stared after the cat, hoping that it would now go home, the young farmhand cast her line into the small lake that the creek had created in the village. The fishing rod was actually better than she thought it would be, it was just the right height for her and felt quite strong, probably Rusl had sought out the wood and had given his son help with the measurements. It was perhaps a little colourful, but that was just children. It was a few moments before any fish began to give her hook any interest, it was a few moments still before anything bit, fighting the fish Laika realised it probably wasn't a big one and she was right. It was a common Greengill, roughly eleven pounds in weight, taking it off her hook she was about to cast the small fry back when a small meow sounded by her feet and something rubbed against her sandled feet. It was Sera's cat, looking up at the fish and then meowing loudly up at her. "You already ate Sera's fish, now you're after another one?" Laika asked the small cat. It meowed loudly up at her. Laika sighed, she felt she'd never understand some animals; the small cat meowed again and rubbed up against her legs. "Okay, okay, you can have it." Laika bent down and laid the gasping fish in front of the hungry cat, who somehow, picked the Greengill up in it's mouth, and carried it away. Somewhat amazed that the tiny cat was able to carry off that greengill. Yes, it was a small fish, but compared to the cat she had just sacraficed it to it was huge. Laika sighed deeply, letting her mind wander from it as she packed away her new fishing pole, she reminded herself she had to thank Colin and Rusl sometime later. Deciding to return to Sera's to tell her about her cat Laika hoped that would be enough to get Sera to part with that slingshot. Making her way back to the small store Laika once again stepped into the shop where she saw Sera's little cat was happily lapping at some milk from a saucer on the shop's counter, Sera herself was storking her feline companion, the greengill that she had given the cat lay on a seperate saucer on a small tabletop behind the sales counter.
"Laika! You'll never guess what happened!" Sera said, seeing the harmhand walk into her shop and up to the counter. "My little cat came back and he had a replacement fish, he was so worried he caught another fish for me to cook!" the delighted woman said.
"Yes I know, I saw him carry it."
"Really? Oh what a clever cat you are." the plump woman cooed down to the small cat still lapping his milk. "Well, now my lucky charm's back, would you like to buy anything?"
"Yes, I heard from Beth you had a slingshot on sale. It would really help me with those pesky spiders that keep making their webs on my ladder.
"The slingshot? Of course, one moment Honey, I'll go get it and its pellets." With that, the plump woman went off back into the small storage area behind the counter leaving Laika and the little cat alone. Looking down on the tiny animal it wouldn't take an expert to see the little critter was very sumg with himself. Taking a moment to lick his lips he looked up and meowed at Laika again.
"Don't worry, I won't tell her I caught it." The little cat meowed once more and went back to his milk.