A Welcome Home
Chapter Two: When You're Found
When Link arrived at the stables the next morning the sun was just beginning to crest over the valley. The morning was crisp, but it wouldn't be long before the late summer heat warmed the air.
He reveled in the morning light, engrossed in the long shadows and the way the crops, nearly ready for harvest, filled the valley with a patchwork of colors. Autumn in Harrow was easily his favorite time of year. It reaffirmed Link's long-felt belief that he lived in the most beautiful area of all Hyrule.
"Good morning, Link," Raya greeted as she hauled a heavy bucket from the well.
Looking after the stable master's children meant she worked earlier than Link. Raya needed to be there to prepare their breakfasts and dress them when they woke. Like most children, these ones were up just after sunrise. She never seemed to mind though. Raya enjoyed the children, and she had always seemed to be an earlier riser.
The families were close. Lars was a good friend of the stable master, which had aided Link in his hunt for work once he had turned 16. Between Lars and the stable master's kind heart, he had been taken on almost immediately following his birthday.
"You look like you've barely slept," Raya observed.
He hadn't. Link had been plagued with dreams and nightmares for years, and was well used to having the occasional restless night, but last night he had tossed and turned for hours. For reasons he couldn't quite pinpoint, sleep had seemed to elude him more than usual the night before.
"I couldn't get comfortable," he half lied. "I think there's a draft coming in. I'll have to fix it before the snow falls."
Raya seemed happy enough with the answer. She nodded, waved goodbye and then picked up the bucket before disappearing into the house.
He hated lying to Raya.
Explaining that his dreams were filled with blackness and strange women bathed in light seemed like a simpler alternative and yet Link couldn't seem to force himself to confess.
It was just past lunch when Karl, the stable master, approached. The massive man clapped Link on the shoulder, making his knees buckle. If Lars was considered massive in stature, Karl would be equally so in width.
"Y'gotta strengthen up, boy!" Karl's loud voice boomed before his laugh echoed through the yard.
Link laughed a little, averting his gaze in embarrassment.
"I've got to give up another horse to send to Harvest. Guess one of the blacksmith's hands is goin' in to see if they can sell some goods and maybe get a bit of info on what's happenin'. Maybe someone saw the ol' man when he was there a couple of weeks ago," Karl waved a large hand towards a horse at the end of the stable. "That one down there should be alright. Get it ready for the trip, if you can. After that, you can finish up for the day."
Karl stomped off towards the gate, his massive feet kicking up dust as he went.
The stable master was a bit too loud and attracted too much attention for Link's taste, but he paid well and was nice enough. He didn't come around much either, so it wasn't too hard for Link to avoid him.
After entering the stable and unlocking the pen, Link brushed down and saddled the animal before leading it towards the gate.
Karl stood with crossed arms speaking to a man only a few years older than Link when they arrived.
"I don't plan to linger anyway. If he hasn't come back by now…" the apprentice's voice drifted off as he reached for the reins when he noticed Link approaching. "Mostly, I think the mayor wants me to see what's going on. That bit of smoke is concerning to a lot of folks. It would be nice to reassure everyone."
He nodded to Link before hopping up onto the animal's back, "thanks very much. I'll see you in a few days, Karl."
Link noticed the thick lines of concern in Karl's brow as he watched the man ride off.
"You're worried?" Link asked, nodding in the direction of the horse and its rider.
Karl made no movement, his eyes focused on the road. "We can't keep sendin' horses and young men off. We lived ten years without bein' bothered by that new king's rules. One day he's goin' to come knockin', and we won' have a thing to defend ourselves with."
"He'll come back," Link tried to reassure him, "Besides, there are no skilled fighters here anyway. Not enough to stop the king's men. What could only a few of us manage to accomplish against a man like the king? If he's gone this long without noticing us, I bet he doesn't much care. There are more important things to worry about than a bunch of farmers."
"Link," Karl's dark eyes turned on him as he spoke "Harrow is not untouchable. If the rumors are true, and Hyrule really isn't safe anymore, then someone, someday, will make a difference. We have to hope. Things can't carry on in Hyrule as they are. People eventually stand up."
Link didn't know what to say. He buried his hands in his pockets and stared at the ground.
Pulling that cursed blade made Link realize long ago that their fates didn't belong to them. Whether it was the Deku Tree, the Goddesses or the blade itself, something made his mother get up and wander into those woods. Something gave her the strength to do it and knew he would follow. His mother's end hadn't been her own doing.
Whatever it was that controlled their destinies, they wanted Hyrule to suffer the fate it currently was. Neither Link nor Karl or even Lars could stop the workings of fate. Undoubtedly though, whoever controlled their fates was a cruel overseer. Hope was irrelevant.
In the end, Link was sure that keeping their heads down was all they could do.
Frustrated by Link's prolonged silence, Karl turned and stomped back into the house. It was clear the stable master was in a sour mood, and Link didn't feel like waiting for Karl to change his mind about letting him off early. He hurried out of the yard and back into town, pushing the man's words from his mind.
Link stopped by his house, snatching the fishing rod from outside and jogged to the river. A bit of fishing would do well to take his mind off things.
The sun was low in the sky when Raya flopped onto the grass beside him, pulling off her shoes and dipping her feet in the water.
"You'll scare away all the fish," Link grumbled quietly.
She only laughed and laid down in the grass, her hair falling around her in a halo of messy brown ringlets. "Those three you have there look like they've been sitting in the sun for a while," she observed, "You haven't caught anything in hours have you?"
Link glared at her out of the corner of his eye.
"Karl said you guys sent off another horse with one of the blacksmith's apprentices today. He was all out of sorts over it," she informed him.
"Karl is paranoid," Link stated with a roll of his eyes.
"Because he's concerned with what happens outside of the valley?" She arched a brow.
Link scanned the horizon, eyes picking out the small cloud of smoke that had failed to fade over the last few weeks. They'd had this argument a thousand times before. It always ended the same and he dreaded getting into it again.
"I don't see why we need to think about it is all," Link muttered reluctantly, "why do we need to worry about what goes on out there when things are fine here?"
Raya propped herself up on her elbows, "Don't you wonder what's out there?" she asked with a hint of disbelief in her voice.
Link shrugged and shook his head.
"You don't want to know what Harvest looks like, or see the castle? I've heard it's bigger than any other thing in Hyrule," Raya turned her focus to the water. "Don't you wonder what the Zora look like? I used to imagine one would swim up the river by accident. I read they have endless supplies of sapphires and diamonds, and the whole Domain glows from within. They are said to be more beautiful than Hylia herself." Her eyes shone with hopeless fantasy.
"I like it here," Link proclaimed stubbornly. He nodded to the row of homes behind them, "I like our street and my bed. I like the way the fields look just before harvest. I like your mom's cooking and the warm summers. I don't need to see the Zora, or the Castle, or even Harvest. Harrow is familiar and safe. It's home."
Raya shook her head, undoubtedly frustrated with him. She'd always been the more adventurous one, poking and prodding him to go climb something or investigate another. Every time they had this conversation she would end up frustrated and angry. The argument always ended the same.
"It used to be safe everywhere," Link didn't miss the bitterness in her voice as she spoke "people before us got to leave the village and see Hyrule. Now, it's too dangerous. Too unpredictable."
"You're upset, I'm sorry, I guess I just don't think about what's outside of the valley because it is upsetting," he admitted. "For all we know, this could be the last safe place in Hyrule. There's nowhere better than what's right here, and we can't change what's out there."
She narrowed her eyes, glaring at the slow moving river. "It isn't fair. Don't you worry about the other people of Hyrule?"
Link looked away. "Of course I do. I wish all of Hyrule was safe. I just don't know what worrying about it will do to help," he said.
"So, instead you just don't think about it," Raya accused, eyes flashing with irritation. She stood abruptly, splashing water around them as she pulled her feet from the water. "No one is better at ignoring problems than you are," she spat as she grabbed her shoes and stomped off.
Link looked down at the trio of fish beside him.
"Guess it's up to me to cook you tonight," Link told them miserably.
He must have fallen asleep.
There was a banging on the door, startling him awake and causing Link to shoot up in his chair. He looked around the room still half-asleep. The remnants of his burnt fish dinner still lay on the table and the fire had burned down to embers.
"Link!"
He recognized Lars' voice through the door. Just as Link stood to open it, the man walked in. He seemed to have been woken abruptly too, as his hair was matted and disheveled and his shirt crooked.
"Lars what's-"
"That blacksmith boy came back," Lars interrupted, "he just raced into town. He says there are men on the road coming this way. He spotted them a few hours out of town. They looked like soldiers, so he turned 'round before they saw him and rode for home."
Link's stomach knotted and a cold sense of dread trickled down his spine. He should have known all the talk about the outside world had been a bad omen.
"They're just outside of town. I want a few young men with us and their swords. I don't trust anyone who works for the King." Lars ran a hand through the mess of black hair on his head. "Get your sword and meet me out the front of my place. The mayor and a few others will be there," he half stepped out the door before looking back, "be quick about it, yeah?"
Link nodded and pulled on his boots. His eyes drifted to his bedroom and the spot the sword lay beneath the floorboards.
The Goddesses have chosen you.
He heard his mother's voice clear as a bell in his ear.
"No," his response came out particularly hollow, echoing into the darkness of his home.
He rose to his feet, snatching the old training sword from beside the door and slinging it across his back before stepping out into the night.
A few houses down, a circle of men with torches stood grumbling amongst themselves. As Link approached, he recognized the mayor, the blacksmith's apprentice, Lars and Karl. They nodded to him as he stepped into the light. Only the apprentice had a sword.
"Shall we then?" Lars said, his eyes moving to each of the tired faces around him.
The town was still, and as they neared the wooden arch at the edge of town they could spot movement down the road. A few horses galloped quickly their way.
"Good evening, gentlemen," a rider greeted them as he dropped down off his horse and stepped into the ring of torchlight.
He was tall with sharp, dark features and sharper eyes. His broad body was covered in armor and a red cape hung from his shoulders. The man's eyes scanned the rag-tag group of townsfolk.
"Sorry to ride in so late. We didn't anticipate the distance between you and Harvest. Quite the ride for one day, isn't it?"
The mayor nodded as he replied. "It's more suited for two. We don't often make the trip."
The man removed his gloves as he spoke, "a beautiful ride through this area of the country though. Especially so late in the summer." He extended a hand, "my name is General Essa. These are a few of my men."
The mayor reached out, gripping Essa's hand in his own. "Welcome to Harrow. May I ask your business, General?"
Essa smiled, though Link got the impression it was not friendly. "We were in Harvest addressing a situation there and ran into one of your associates. A blacksmith. He spoke to us about you."
"What sort of 'situation'?" Karl said, narrowing his eyes.
Essa tipped his head to the side.
"King's business," he said before he focused on the mayor once more, "anyway, we were told that you'd been living quietly out here. Outstanding crops, good water supply. Its supposed to be the most beautiful area of Hyrule. We thought we'd come in and take a look at what we've been missing. Harvest is such a filthy place and we could really use the change in scenery."
His men laughed at a joke Link didn't understand.
"Is there a place we can all stay? I appreciate that it's late and that we've come unannounced," the General requested.
The mayor and Lars exchanged looks.
"We don't have an inn, but my home is big enough to hold you and your men if you don't mind sharing a few rooms. It's typically where we house visitors and meetings," the mayor told them, pointed to a large home near the center of the main street.
"Sounds great," Essa said, clapping the mayor on the back and following him into town.
Link caught Lars' gaze and the man gestured for them to follow.
It didn't take long to get everyone settled. Lars, Essa, Karl, and the mayor sat around a table in the center of the house while Link, the blacksmith and the five soldiers accompanying the General all stood.
"So, you mentioned seeing our blacksmith?" Karl asked as he leaned forward on the table, the wood beneath his elbows crying out under the weight.
"Yes. We caught him selling a few items without a permit," Essa informed them calmly, waiting to see their reactions.
"We never used to need a permit to sell or trade…" the mayor's words trailed off as the looked to Lars.
"That law came into effect when King Ganondorf took the throne," Essa paused, narrowing his eyes in confusion. "Have you been completely cut off out here since then?"
One of the soldiers over his shoulder seemed to laugh, though he attempted to cover it with a cough.
"As I said, we don't often travel to Harvest. Most of the town has never been," the mayor replied, a hint of tension in his voice.
The General seemed oddly happy about this. His eyes sparkled with amusement as he spoke, "well, that's quite rare isn't it?"
"The blacksmith wasn't intentionally breaking any laws. He was just an old man who has been making that trip for years. He probably had no idea he wasn't abiding by the new laws," Lars said with a sympathetic tone.
Link found himself hoping that Lars would be able to solve the issue they'd stumbled upon.
"No. Of course not. Selling wares without a permit is a minor infraction," Essa said with a small chuckle, shrugging his shoulders. "We just made sure he wasn't selling anything of danger and asked a few questions. He told us about where he was from and that was that."
The man's eyes never left Lars' as a mocking grin crossed his features. Link had seen the expression before on better men. A dare. A push towards temptation.
The General didn't seem like the type of man to just let something go.
The men around the table sat rigid and silent. No one seemed prepared to call the General on his lie just yet, and Lars was too clever to fall into such a simple trap.
Satisfied with everyone's compliance, Essa continued, "His was a minor infraction, but this town as a whole has not paid taxes to the crown in nearly a decade. Unfortunately, that is not so small."
"We are located on the very edge of Hyrule. When the new king took the throne and we heard nothing, we had assumed that perhaps we were left out. Maybe we'd been excluded or given to Termina. We have nothing to offer the King except our loyalty. No representative of the crown ever visited us and we had no connection to the outside world. We had heard that the roads had become unsafe and only skilled fighters were suited for travel. We didn't think it best to venture out. We're only a few hundred, and have very few men skilled in combat," Lars' explained, though a hint of nervousness crept into his voice.
"So you did nothing? You did not think to ride to the capital, or send a message through one of the King's personal messengers in Harvest? Did you honestly think that you could make no effort and be judged as innocent?" Essa's demeanor suddenly changed. He seemed outraged, laughing at the feeble defence Lars had offered.
Link watched as the situation began to crumble, spiraling out of Lars' control.
"No, we –"
Essa interrupted Lars before he could finish.
"And are you implying that this is somehow the king's fault? That the reason you never paid taxes was because he was not smart enough to send someone out here?" Essa's tone grew sharper as he spoke.
"No. Not at all. We -"
Again, Essa did not let Lars continue.
"The King is a very generous man. He is very forgiving and he trusts all of his subjects to be honorable. It seems to me that you took that trust for granted."
Lars said nothing.
"My men will be posted here to ensure that you are not breaking any more of the King's laws. We will be collecting a portion of the harvest and livestock as payment to the King. This house will be used as a base for myself and my men, again as property of the King," Essa informed them with a cold stare.
Then, he rose to his feet, snapping his fingers. Two of the soldiers stepped forward.
"Arrest that man for conspiracy against the crown and theft," Essa commanded them, "hold him for the night. I will take him to the prison in Harvest at dawn."
The guards sprung forward, pulling Lars from his chair. It wouldn't have been difficult for him to push the soldiers off, but he said nothing and went willingly. His eyes caught Link's briefly as the soldiers dragged him into a bedroom at the back of the house.
Both the mayor and Karl rose to their feet, red-faced and fists clenched. General Essa looked between them.
"You're not planning on doing something, are you?" he asked, he tilted his head once more and Link found himself seething at the gesture. The soldiers behind Essa reached for their swords, ready to draw. The room practically shook with tension for a moment before the mayor and Karl backed down, both taking a small step back.
Essa sneered at them, "then get out."
Greetings friends. Thank you so much to those of you who followed along or left reviews last week. Thanks for thinking I might have something decent here. It has almost been two months since I last published, and since then I've been busily working on this new material.
In truth, this story has been in my head for the better part of five years. I have somehow found a way to translate it into words, and I hope it translates well!
As you've already noticed, I will be updating Mondays. Unlike Desert Blight, I will be updating only once a week. Much more editing goes into this story than that one, and I would very much like to take my time to put out something of higher quality. For those of you who read DB (I see you!), thanks for following me here! I've placed a few things just for you in upcoming chapters :)
This story is an AU and takes place in a Hyrule geographically similar to Twilight Princess. It does not fall in a certain place on the timeline, and is entirely an AU. I will be placing a few flash back chapters here and there. I'll let you know before one of those pops up to clear up any confusion.
Since I've rambled on enough, I just wanted to say thanks again. Your messages, reviews, and follows are always to appreciated. Also, two great people helped me a lot with creating this thing. A very special thanks to them for all of the time and wonderfully supportive work they've put into this. This is as much theirs as it is mine.
