Author's Note: This is a story I have been thinking of for some time, but what with school and other work I hadn't got around to publishing it. FF's document exchange does not seem to like me so my beta-reader hasn't had a go at this one yet. However, any suggestions, reviews, comments and polite nitpicking is most welcome. Flames are not.
As I have said during Runs in the Family (one of my other fics), if I owned Zelda, I would be writing the next game story, not a fanfic. Therefore, I do not own Zelda. Twilight Princess plot, characters, items and locations belong to Nintendo. This storyline (the original bits and character portrayal) belong to me.
Enjoy. Reviews are welcome, and indeed, requested.
Ineffable
Chapter 1: To Begin at the Beginning
My name is Link, and from a peaceful village life, I have been thrown into the adventure of a lifetime. I have been charged with saving my land from darkness, but that is not the only thing driving me. The perpetrators of the darkness have kidnapped my best friend.
The adventure itself is something I actually enjoy, something I was meant to be doing. But whoever took her, whoever stole her from us, will pay. I am no mere swordsman. I am the Hero of Light.
I cannot express in words the feelings I have on this quest, or the feelings I have for Ilia.
Both are ineffable. But I will try.
***
Where to begin? I'm seventeen years old, and I live in a place known as Ordon, in the kingdom of Hyrule. Hyrule is a massive land with all sorts of landscapes and people, and I do not think I will ever be able to see it all. Ordon, on the other hand, is a quiet secluded area to the south of the kingdom, so different from the rest of the land that people sometimes forget to include it among Hylian lands.
We Ordonians make a living by farming and animal husbandry. The owner of the largest ranch in town is named Fado, and he raises goats. The rest of the villagers have small farms and grow food crops, which they sell to traders from Hyrule and southern kingdoms. Ordonian cheese and pumpkins in particular are renowned.
I was found as a baby by the villagers, and I do not know who my parents are. Until about a year ago, I lived with the village blacksmith and swordsman, a man named Rusl, and his family. I consider him and his wife, Uli, my parents now, and his son Colin – all of ten years – is like my younger brother.
Fact is, all the kids of Ordon look up to me. Ever since I began helping Fado out on the ranch, and proved to be far better at the job than he was, I became the object of their adoration. When Rusl began teaching me how to use a blade, the situation did not improve. The little kids of this town are now faithful Link-admirers, but I want none of it.
So…my family is Rusl, Uli and Colin, but sort of includes the whole town. And the mayor's daughter, Ilia, is my best friend. She's the only one my age in this place, and she is the nicest person I have ever met.
Rusl is a good swordsman and a good teacher, and I soon became fairly skilled with a sword. We led a peaceful, idyllic life, raising crops and goats, selling them for occasional rupees, which we spent on odd items whenever we went to the town around Hyrule Castle. But all that changed one day, a day I will never forget, and a day I was constantly reminded of every day for several months.
It began with three things: a sword, a shield and a monkey.
***
