It was a warm day. The sweet smell of Honey drifted through the air as the sounds of clashing metal grew louder and louder. In the lush green meadows that lie beyond the castle town a pair of Hyrule's finest warriors were sparing. A young boy who could have been no more than six years of age sat underneath the shade of a nearby tree watching with awe. He sat for hours admiring their skill and dreaming of a scenario where he was one of them before a figure finally approached from behind.
"You seem rather taken by them." A deep voice noted.
The boy suddenly turned, shocked out of his trance. "I wasn't up to anything. I swear Mr.-" He stopped as he realized who he was speaking to.
Standing in front of him, a monolith against the painted red sky, was the ruler of Hyrule, King Rhoam. "Quite alright boy. Quite alright." He spoke with a light chuckle. "Tell me what is your name?"
The boy looked up at the monarch, curious why someone as important as the king would take any interest in a boy like him. "Ugh my name? It's ugh it's Link." He stuttered out.
"Well Link what do you see?" The king asked while pointing over to the two knights who were still sparing.
"They're fighting." Link said plainly.
"Good. What else?" The king pressed.
Link squinted, looking deeper. "Well one keeps trying to make quick attacks like he doesn't want the battle to last long." He observed, clearly at ease now that they were focused on the knights. "He can't seem to get a hit in though. The other one is just too fast. He hasn't even tried to fight back maybe he wants the other to tire himself out."
A large grin found its way on to the king's face as he looked back at the boy. "Impressive. It takes most people years to be able to read a battle like that."
"My sister thinks I'm a dork since all I do is watch the knights fight."
"And why is it you are so invested in the knights?" The king inquired.
Finally drawing Link's full attention away from the fight, he looked up at the king with big green eyes. "Grandma says that the knights help people. I want to learn how to help people too."
King Rhoam found this sentiment to be incredibly profound for a little boy. "You know Link you don't have to be a knight in order to-"
"Also they have epic sword fights, kill monsters, stop bad guys, protect the kingdom, and go off on ADVENTURES." The words came gushing out of his mouth like the thoughts had injected him with all the energy in the world.
"You seem to know what you want to do when you are older." Thoughts of a bright future filled Rhoam's head.
The boy looked down, distraught.
"Is something the matter?" The king inquired.
"Grandma doesn't think I should try to be a knight just yet. She wants me to wait until I am older and 'know what I'm signing up for.'" Link pouted.
"But you disagree."
"I don't even want to be a knight yet, I just want to be trained. After that I can do anything."
The monarch shook his head. "Even training can be dangerous for someone of your age if you're not sure what you are doing."
Link stood up to face Rhoam with his shoulders cocked back. "That's the thing, I do know what I'm doing. It is the only thing that I am sure I know what I'm doing."
Surprised that the boy's mood shifted so quickly the king was not sure what to say. "Son, it's getting late out you should be heading home."
Link just crossed his arms, turned around, and began to walk toward the castle town, anger seething from his every movement.
When he got about half-way there the king called out to him. "Oh and Link?" The boy turned around. "Your first lesson with Master Orca begins tomorrow at noon. Try to be here on time."
For a second he just stood there, not sure if he heard that right. Then as realization hit him his face erupted into an explosive smile. He then turned and ran toward home.
o.O.o
The screeching sounds of metal on metal tore through the air as the white haired old man defended against a direct blow from his student. They were face to face bridged by two swords, both putting all their might into breaking the other's defence. Shifting his right foot inward, the boy was able to elbow his teacher in the chest sending him to the ground. The boy then used the flat of his sword to knock the old man's weapon out of his hand.
Disarmed and on the ground, Orca just laughed. "It took you six years but you finally beat me, Link."
"It was a long time coming old man." Link said with a massive smile on his face while wearing full knight's armor.
"Yes well," Master Orca cleared his throat, "the king told me that after today's session that you might want to head home and pack."
"Pack?" Link perked up.
"He never said why but it would seem that tomorrow he might finally be ready to send you off on your first solo assignment." The bearded man said each word making the boy beam brighter.
"Do really think I'm ready for something like this?" He could barely contain his excitement.
"Now don't get your hopes too high." Reeling him back in. "It could be something small like retrieving something from one of the islands down south."
"Oh."
"Not to say that it isn't something big." Orca backtracked. "The king could be trusting you with his life for all I know. Because if anyone is ready it would be you."
"Thanks." Link said sarcastically.
"Anyways, that concludes today's training so ugh go home." Waving Link off.
Waving a quick goodbye Link ran out of the castle courtyard and through the town. The streets were blooming with activity and citizens from all over the kingdom. Merchants would run around with bags full of products, gerudo would flirt with the sailors while admiring their swords, a couple zoras handed out samples of seafood, a goron even offered Link an ordinary rock.
"Keese eye. Get yourself a tasty keese eye." One shopkeeper called out. Navigating the crowded streets Link got all kinds of strange offers such as these. Castle town certainly is home to some of the strangest individuals you will ever meet, Link thought to himself.
A couple years prior Link's grandma had moved closer to the shore in Lurelin village so getting home on foot was no longer an option. Coming up to a tent-like building with a horse shaped top, the local stables, Link noticed there was something amiss with the man that seemed to be working there.
"I tell ya, they'll be ruinin us all!" The tall muscular man with a ponytail was yelling at his customers seemingly without prompt. Noticing Link in his knight's armor he ran over much quicker than someone of his size should have been able to.
"Hey Stan, what seems to have you spinning in circles this time?" Link asked getting mild amusement out the stable worker's antics.
"It's those bloody pirates again. Raided me mum's home island an stole er pretty vase."
"Ah, the pirates. I think what they need is someone like you to get their hands on them, give them a piece of your mind." Link mused.
Stan the stable man just scoffed at the idea, screaming about his vendetta. "Nah, me days on the sea are through. There was once no place like the sea until them dirty pirates started given all us sailors a bad name. Back then I used make an sell boats tll I moved ta the mainland. Ya know a boat won't bite chya like a horse will. It's all thanks to those kingdom-killing pirates."
"'kingdom-killing pirates' that's a new one. I think next time I'm out at sea I'll send the pirates your regards." Link said growing tired of the old sailor's rant.
Though Link meant it as more of a joke this got Stan thinking. "Tell ya what boy. If you'll do that fer me hows about makin my services here free. After all, anything fer Hyrule's finest."
"ugh… Cool." Link just blinked at him.
Mounting a red horse, he was off. First he breezed through grassy fields that adorned Central Hyrule. The wind playing with his hair as he made the journey. After a while Link made a pass over Owlan Bridge only to slow down to take in the view of Dueling Peaks from a distance. Getting back on track, he spent the next several hours navigating a path through the mountains. Finally after spending most of the day on a horse Link had arrived at Lurelin Village, the home of his grandma and sister.
It was a small location with only a few small houses and villagers that sat next to the south facing sea. Poking out of the sandy ground were numerous amounts of palm trees, one of the only places on the mainland that houses them. "It reminds me of home." Grandma had said when first settling in, and in many ways it most certainly does.
Link tied the horse up to a tree on the outskirts of town, then started to make his way to his grandmother's house when someone caught his eye. Standing near the edge of the water with her face shoved into an orange telescope was his little sister Aryll. Silently walking up behind, he could hear her mumbling to herself.
"If I just had some wood and maybe some rope then perhaps I could…" She trailed off never breaking focus from a flock of seagulls in the red afternoon sky. Abruptly putting the telescope down, she spoke, "I need a boat." She put the telescope down only to run face first into her brother.
"Woah there sis." Link stopped her. "Where do you think you're off to?"
She was dumbfounded. "Link, you're home. I wasn't expecting you back so soon, or at all." She mumbled that last part to herself. "I ugh I was just headed off to help grandma in the kitchen."
"Ok good so this has nothing to do with you staring out at a flock of seagulls for several minutes straight while mumbling to yourself." Link sarcastically spoke.
"I missed you bro." She said with a sweet smile, abruptly changing the subject.
"I missed you too." Letting it go as he embraced his sister.
"Come on, I think grandma has started making dinner." Aryll then took her brother by the hand and dragged him across the shore to the small hut-like house that was his home.
Inside grandma was standing at the kitchen counter with a pot in hand over a small flame. The moment she saw him she dropped what she was doing and ran over. "Link I thought you weren't due to come home for another few days."
"Hey grandma, according to master Orca I needed to come home to pack." Link's grandmother looked up at him expectantly. "He thinks the king is finally willing to give me an actual assignment."
"Doing what exactly?" Aryll butted in.
"I don't know. I could be sent to do anything in the kingdom. What I am really hoping for though is that it is something out on the water."
"You want to go out and find yourself some treasure don't you?" Teased Aryll.
"It would be nice." He mused.
"Meet a nice sailor girl?"
"That'd be nice too."
"Get a parrot and name it Polly."
"Okay, now you're just making fun of me." Link pointed out.
Before things could go any further grandma interrupted them. "Alright Mr. Sailor Boy, how about going into your room and changing out of that stuffy armor and into something a bit more comfortable." She spoke with a slight twinkle in the eye.
As Link walked back to his room Aryll stuck her tongue out at him. Once in his room he threw off what he was wearing and he looked in his closet to see what was available. What he found was that his closet was nearly empty as everything else was in the castle town. The only thing left hanging was something that he hadn't seen before, a light green tunic and matching hat. Quickly throwing it on he returned to the dining area to show off his new garb.
The moment she saw it, Aryll just looked at her grandmother. "That's what you got him?" Unimpressed.
Ignoring her with soup in hand, she said. "Happy birthday Link."
It suddenly occurred to him that he hasn't actually been home since his birthday a couple weeks ago. "Thanks grandma." As he stuffed soup into his mouth.
The rest of the night the three of them recounted stories of things that had happened to them over the past couple of weeks while Link was at the castle. Aryll said how she saw a pirate ship through her telescope, while Link told of his battle with Orca. Before long each of them drifted off to their respective rooms. The whole night Link just stared at the ceiling, so nervous about the adventure he would embark on the following day that sleep didn't take him for hours.
The next morning, the sun had barely broken beyond the horizon before Link was already up and loading his stuff onto his horse's back. He tried to walk slowly as he moved his things as to not wake the still-sleeping village. Once he had finished tying the last rope to the horse's back a slight shuffle against the sandy shore drew his attention.
"You're leaving already?" Aryll asked with big eyes.
"Yeah, I have to go see king." Link spoke feeling as though his visit has far too short.
"You're not going to wait several weeks before visiting again are you?" She prodded.
Putting on a nice smile, he said, "I'll try not to."
Aryll was not convinced, she merely stared back at him. She wanted to find a way to make him stay longer yet was at a loss for words. Her brother just gave her a light hug and hopped on his horse.
Before he could get out of earshot Aryll called out to him. "Wait," Running up out of breath, "I want you to have to have this." Opening the palms of her hands she tossed him her orange telescope.
Surprised, Link looked at her with a perplexed frown. "This is your's."
His sister just shook her head. "If you do end up going out on the water, a telescope will be really helpful."
"I'll make sure I give this back the second I return."
"You better." Aryll retorted with a giggle.
There was a brief silence between them until Link finally spoke up. "Thanks sis."
"Anytime bro."
After making his way back to Central Hyrule atop a half-awake horse, he ran through town looking for the king on his daily commute. Despite being royalty, the king always liked the opportunity to wonder the kingdom and meet with its denizens. For nearly an hour Link shuffled through the morning traffic without a sign of the king until he thought to ask one of the guards standing post.
"Hey, by chance have you seen-"
Pointing, the guard stated, "The king went that about two minutes ago, he seemed to be in a hurry." As if that is the only thing they ever get asked.
"Thanks." Link replied.
A quick sprint up the path toward the castle later and he spotted the bright regal robes of the king. Calling for his attention, he bowed out of breath.
"Link, my boy, how nice it is to see you." King Rhoam's face bloomed into a euphoric smile.
"Master Orca said you needed to talk to me about something, that I needed to pack?" Link asked hesitantly.
Wincing as though remembering something uncomfortable, the king said, "Ah yes, this happens to be a bad time as I was on my way for a very important meeting with the council." Looking up he started to muse at an optimistic thought. "You will have to go ask Vaati to give you the full rundown, but I think you are ready for your first field assignment."
Alarm bells started to go off inside Link's head. It was really happening. "What I am I going to be out in the field doing."
"Well it's not in 'the field' per say so much as it's in the water." The monarch thought aloud. After seeing Link's hopeful expression he continued. "You'll be hunting pirates."