Chapter 1: Uncertainty
The sea was calm, not a storm cloud overhead. It was the perfect ideal sailing weather, a limpid night where every star could be seen. A Man-Of-War battle ship named Queen Rutela was navigating on their patrol route in the sea surrounding Hyrule; onboard, the crew of the craft gradually became more restless at their posts. Their formally dressed general stood in arms reach of the wheel, which was in the hands of his helmsman. He had short spikey chocolate hair and eyes that matched the ocean. His general uniform was painted with gold armor and had a long broad sword at his side. The general wasn't ancient like is superiors but had enough experience that he had a large scar trace across his brow down to his right cheek.
A man of the crew aboard the ship approached him. "General Devegvar?" asked the soldier to his respective superior.
"Yes commodore?" answered the man with full authority as he blankly answered.
"I believe I am not alone when I say the seas have an eerie presence about them. The quietness is…unnerving," The commodore spoke in a whisper as if to keep undetected.
"Aye, it is a feeling that does not bode well, a foul aura indeed."
"Agreed," Spoke the commodore that was now searching the waves for a warning.
There was pure silence on the ship, as everyman became a mute. Everyone stopped and began staring into a dense interminable fog that appeared near the close ranged mountains. The air seemed to cool as a bell slightly hummed from the toss of the waves.
"What do you suppose that is sir?" the commodore questioned weakly with a disheartened look. General Devegvar however, did not respond, he was too preoccupied with a faint shape fabricating from the shadows. The general's brows furrowed, as he tried to comprehend the shape. Out of the shadows came a large vessel with legendary ripped red sails and a figurehead of the goddess Din stretching on its bow. General Devegvar knew the ship and its captain all too well.
"Pirates…" He muttered under his breath.
The crew began to talk between one another about the vessel drifting towards them and frantically gossiped about the mysterious ship.
"It's Din's Wrath…!" called out a one of the sailors in pure fear. The men all wore faces of panic and horror, looking to their general for his orders; it was only thing they could do.
Din's Wrath was known for its speed when striking at its prey making it nearly impossible to escape its terror. With its monstrous strength and precision, it was believed unbeatable and feared by all, even by the most ghastly of pirates. Some believed the captain was a son of the goddesses and blessed with immortality; they say that he isn't even a man, but a devil dressed in mans clothes.
"All hands to your posts! Lode the cannons! Take up arms and prepare for war at sea! Change into full sail," boomed the general with his unreadable expression. He held too much pride to show the doubt he felt. Pipit Devegvar was terrified by Din's Wrath as a child, and seeing it in reality was no better.
Cannons roared like thunder as the battle began. Both ships were circling in a sudden storm of wind and rain. The men aboard the Hyrulean ship drew their swords while others bombarded the ship with the side cannons. Howls of men could be heard as Dins Wrath rammed into Pipit's ship, leaving a large, deep gash in the vessels body. Mortar shots rumbled the sea as they were sent from Din Wrath into the ultramarine coloured sky. Crew of the Hyrulean ship began scattering as the mortars struck down, causing devastating damage to the war vessel.
Roars of the beastly pirates rang in the ears of the Hyrulean's as a boarding began. Ghostly figures swung on ropes, others rapidly threw themselves across desks without time for the soldiers to recover. The sharp swings of swords came raining down in an intense contest for bloodshed. Men from the Hyrulean vessel began falling one by one, devastating their numbers.
"We cannot take much more of this sir," shouted the generals quartermaster, "We need to surrender!"
"Surrender to Pirates? Are you mad?" yelled Pipit. He looked around him and saw his crew dying, being slaughtered by ravaging swords and cannon fire. An explosion near Pipit sent him and the surrounding soldiers to the deck. The ship was in scarce condition and if the attacks continued the ship with its men would be sent to the depths of the icy water below. Sadly, his quartermaster was right.
"Orders my lord!" The shout of his quartermaster released Pipit from his thoughts.
"I order a surrender! We have been defeated!"
The crew did not hesitate place their hands above their heads and land on their knees, throwing their weapons to the wooden floor. The general spoke, "We surrender pirates! Hold your fire!" Silence slowly spread across the crews of each ship as Pipit walked cautiously towards the ship next to his as he scanned the faces. Pipit couldn't tell how long he lumbered across his deck, seconds? Minutes? I didn't matter he felt like he was waking onto the devils doorstep. When he arrived at the ships end, two pirates greeted him by holding him at gunpoint. Once aboard, the pirates pushed the young general onto his knee. Pipit glared trying to con not being threatened, pirates seemed to sense fear.
"You surrender and yet you still think you can give us orders?" came a voice from the high deck of the ship. It echoed through the foggy mist and moved with the waves. General Pipit faced the voice, strangely recognizing it.
"Ahoy great general Pipit Devegvar!" the pirate captain mocked with the reverberation of the laughter of his crew. The captain wore a black coat with a red scarf wrapped around his waist. You could see the white of his shirt and the shine of his curved sword and pistols. He didn't have facial hair, which was unusual for pirates. His hair was long enough to reach his ears and was dark amber. It made his eyes seem to glow with the sharp crystal blue irises that he used to stare into your soul.
"Pirate captain Heiden Nohansen," Pipit spat back.
"Welcome aboard Din's Wrath, general," said the pirate with a taunting bow of his upper torso while he tipped his hat and then flicked it back into place. "Would you be so kind to tell me why you of all people, where sailing in our waters?"
"Your waters?" Pipit muttered with a disgusted look that had spread across his features. Captain Nohansen slowly creped along the creaking boards of his deck till he came face to face with Pipit and smirked arrogantly.
"Aye, our waters. The Terminan Sea."
"Hyrule and Termina have been in a alliance for hundreds of years, we have neighbored these waters since time itself."
"I once thought that too but I found that you Hyrulean's seem to forget your little promise you once made. By the goddesses, your king wants us dead!" Heiden spoke as he raised his arms, "What do you have to say for yourself? Hmm? You and your precious kingdom?" captain Nohansen said curtly.
"Have you lost your mind? Hyrule never has broken our alliance with the Terminans." Pipit spoke confidently.
"Oh, but you have…"
The captain turned his back to Pipit and spoke, "It seems this conversation is futile and it drains me so," the pirate paused and stared into the black horizon. "You are free to go back to your naive country now lad, but don't let me see your face here again or no-one will ever see you again." The captain glared at the young general with the radiant light of a close lantern shading his face. He queued his men to send Pipit back with a quick nod as he turned away but not before he spotted the pirate captain approach a young male with stunningly similar features as the captain, he could have been his son… It dawned on him, the boy in front of him had the same muscular build and possessed the same sharp blue, soul-searching eyes the pirate captain possessed. The only difference was he had blond locks and blue earrings on his ears. It was clear; captain Nohansen had a son.
"In celebration of another victory from our loyal captain Heiden Nohansen! May the goddesses watch over our cherished leader!" shouted one very drunk pirate to the others. All pirates in the hideout drank in cheers till they were swallowing air. Captain Nohansen watched his crew and chuckled at their drunkenness. As he sat in his wooden chair, he noticed a younger male sitting in a windowsill. He stood up and walked over to the young man and placed a hand on their shoulder.
"Somethin' bothering you son?" called Heiden.
The boy let out a sigh and answered, "No, father."
"Then why are you here sulking here when you could be out there with the other lads getting a drink?"
"You know I hate alcohol," said Heiden's son with a grin forming on his jawline.
"Aye I do," the pirate captain said in agreement as he nodded his head in surprise, "and yet I never understood why, " said Heiden with a low snicker and a smirk, then gestured the boy down from the window, "Come, follow me Link."
He led Link with him to the center of the room and gathered all the attention possible from the intoxicated men.
"What are you planning?" Link whispered to himself unsure of his father's intention.
"Listen here you blathering misfits!" called captain Heiden Nohensan, "Look, I didn't win you nothin' today, you won it for yourselves mates! Those Hyrulean soldiers couldn't touch us and they never will! Ha! I bet they're still shaking in their boots for goddesses sake!" The crew cheered in agreement there was a slight silence, "Now, I think it is time I announce my son, Link Nohansen, has completed another year on this vast Earth! Today fifteen years ago he was just a wee lad with me and his mother playing with little twigs," he paused for a moment of thinking to the past, "but now look at him! My son, scarring soldiers and plundering military ships as if child's play!" He wrapped one arm around Link and gave him a shake, and then released his grip. This received a small chuckle from the crew. He looked into his son's eyes and spoke, "He may yet only be a child, but he holds the strength and wisdom of beyond his years…and I could never be more proud to call him my son!" With the end of his speech he raised Links arm into the air and received a yell of encouragement and congratulations from the crew.
"Father…" Link started as he pulled his arm down.
"Oh, come on Link, It's your birthday! Try to have a little fun." Heiden interrupted
"Father it's not that, may we talk…alone?" Heiden's expression turned more serious and he nodded. They walked into the captain's quarters of their hideout and shut the doors. The men were too drunk to care anyways.
"What is this about Link?"
"Why are we doing this father?"
"Well that's a little vague Link…" Heiden chuckled as he looked at his son with curiosity.
"When did we choose piracy? Why are we not in the military fighting for those who cannot? You said so yourself. I have skill, so why don't I use it for the good of the people? Don't you feel any guilt by stealing or by killing the innocent who all have families waiting of their return? It just feels wrong," Link stopped and stared into a window blankly.
"Where is this coming from Link? Did your mother tell you that?" Link didn't need to answer for Heiden to know his wife once filled his sons head with her morals.
"I wasn't always like this; a pirate." Heiden spoke as Link responded by walking towards his father in interest. "After you were born and your mother died of illness I joined the Hyrulean navy, Link."
"What? But you said you hated the army, let alone Hyrule!" Link yelled completely stunned.
"Its true, I do hate them, but I joined because like you said, 'To fight for those who cannot.' I wanted to support my country and I thought the navy was the best option to do so."
"What happened?" Link questioned in a bewildered tone.
"I was betrayed by my superiors," he paused as he starred into the shine of his swords hilt, "One day we were on a normal mission to protect a fleet of schooners full of cargo from enemy ships. I didn't understand why we came as guard; it was a secret route through the Goron Mountains that no one knew about. Still, as faithful men do, I followed orders. Later I discovered our leading general, Lyron, ordered this mission even with the protest of our captains. As we were on our journey, Terminan warships suddenly attacked us. They had us surrounded. Our ship was taking massive amounts of damage while the other ships had already touched the sea floor. I distinctly remember the words I heard spoken by the general of the Hyrulean ship that was taking down our fleet. "Dead corpses tell no tales, that's why we leave no survivors"
Link stopped and starred at his father with sympathy and shock. "Our leader officer was shot in the middle of crossfire and perished at my side. He was one of my greatest friends. He told me to get his men out alive before the enemies sunk the ship. I doubted that anyone could ever get out of there without dying but I tried for the sake of my fallen friend. I took control of the ship and I ordered cannon fire at the mountains to blockade the enemy's ships, which left us with only one to take down. I sailed closer to get a better range and saw my high-ranking general on the Terminan ship. Our own general sold us out all for petty gain of cargo and riches held onboard. I swore to myself if we escaped I would take down that general with my own hands. However, that slippery bastard cowers with the protection of the Hyrulean army, he is untouchable." Heiden stopped and looked at his son, he searched his face looking for a response.
"So you fled to Termia thinking if you returned they would execute you for treachery."
"Exactly"
"But why claim to fight for Termia? They were the ones who attacked you."
"This country is just as corrupt as Hyrule has become, but it lacks an official government to protect itself. So I do what the army ignores," Heiden drew a smirk on his face, "like patrolling our borders for trespassers."
Link smiled, however it quickly faded.
"What would mother think of us?" Link spoke with in a hushed tone with a conflicted look on his features, "surely she'd be disgusted by all we've harmed."
Heiden sighed and turned to his son with a dishearten tone of anger.
"My sympathy for those cowards died with her, and I am no more of a monster than those Hyruleans she was so persistent on protecting." Heiden spoke with the faint fire in his eyes that came directly from his soul.
"Mother was Hyrulean too father, proving they are not all evil. For goddesses sake, your Hyrulean yourself!" Link stated. He wanted to protect his mothers reputation, even if he only had obscured memorizes.
"Why do you think we left that place? When she died we were casted out and they wanted me killed! Them and their tyrant of a king with their egotistical aristocrats! Do you know how hard they tried to take her away from you and I? Do you?
"Casted out? What do you mean-" Link tried to explain but was cut off mid-sentence.
"Never mind that…" Heiden said a bit to quickly, which made Link even more curious.
Heiden let out a deep breath and began again, "Look, those men may claim they are fighting for the people, but past all their pretty words they only seek riches and control. I fight for the people; no man should abide by the rules of an unjust nation. " Heiden said as he stood up and walked to his table of maps in sighed in frustration, he examined the maps nonchalantly.
Link got to his feet as well and walked closer to Heiden "Father, what are you hiding from me?" Link questioned carefully.
"I grow weary of this conversation and I would like it if I could be left alone at the moment. You are dismissed."
"But-"
"You. Are. Dismissed!" Heiden spoke sternly.
Link did not protest again for he suddenly had a liking for the floor and starred at it in frustration.
After a very long and deafening silence, Link looked to his father with mixed feelings and turned to the door and wandered out into the hall.
"I'm sorry I can't tell you, not now." Heiden spoke to himself in the candlelight; he brushed up against a cabinet and tugged at its handle. Inside was a dusted small frame with a hand drawn sketch of to figures with a small child giggling in their arms.
It was a damp morning for the once drunken crew as they struggled with their hangovers and drowsiness. Link was finishing putting on his gear when he heard a knock on his door. "Link?" came his fathers voice from the other side of the door. Remembering their conversation the night before cause Link to furrow his brow as he answered
"Come in father."
"Good morning, ah, how did you sleep?" Heiden started as he tired to make small talk.
"Good…" Link started as he stood up "I don't mean to be rude but is there something you need?" Link asked giving a slight smile.
Heiden sighed as he began to speak, "Look, about last night, I'm sorry about what I said and-"
"It's alright dad," Link said as he began to stand and gave a reassuring smile. "I shouldn't have brought it up" There was a pause.
"No Link its not that, its-" There was a pause, Heiden sighed as look through a large window, "You're a good man son, your mother would be so proud." Links father cheerily whispered as he turned a placed his hand on Link arm. "Now, I believe it's time we head out yes? The seas won't sail themselves." Heiden spoke with a grin spread across his jaw and he laughed to himself. Link nodded in agreement and they both head out the door.
They where greeted by the crew and as the arrived at the port. The weather was pure paradise as the waves where calm and quietly crashed the shore as the waves moved in.
"It's almost to good to be true, I've never seen the sea so still." Link beamed blissfully.
"Aye, a good sign." Heiden replied.
"Lets hope you didn't just jinx us" Link quipped with a smirk. Heiden chuckled and response. Swiftly a member of the crew wandered up to Link and Heiden. The sailors name was Roderick; he was the captain's most trusted comrade and right-hand-man.
"Sir, the ship and crew are prepared for departure. We will leave on your command."
"Alright, thank you for the notice Roderick." Heiden chimed as he fixed his hat. Roderick just nodded in acknowledgment. Heiden turned to Link as he reached out an arm in the direction of Din's Wrath.
"Shall we?" Heiden asked with his scheming eyes.
"You give the order," Link beamed as he walked with his father to their vessel.
Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed the story thus far!
Friendly reminder that there is a difference between "Hyrulean" and "Hylian." I mention this as it will come up later in the story. Please feel free to leave a review, critique, or suggestion. Thank you! :)
Disclaimer: I don't not own "The Legend of Zelda". All rights belong to the respective owner(s).