A/N: I'm back! Not much to say about this chapter; just a bit of a filler, really, though it is really very important. One little note: a hand (when describing equine height) equals four inches. One big note: pleeeease review? There are exactly 14 visitors to this story in the first 10 days. I know one of you at least has a comment...right? :) Reviews keep me (and, subsequently, this story!) running! :D
NOTA BENE, 1/2010: I'm going to instate the same policy I have on another of my stories which seems to have worked very well. No more chapters until I get AT LEAST 2 reviews from 2 separate reviewers. ?Comprende? Bueno.
Now please enjoy the next chapter until some-two decide to review. ^_^
Chapter 1: Warrior's Beginnings
"No, no!" her father chastised lightly, rolling his brown eyes with slight annoyance. "If you do that, you're going to end up hitting yourself instead of the target. Now pay attention; the motion is like this—"
Vanessa Satori followed Kayne's words carefully this time, being sure they were imprinted clearly in her mind before holding her sword in the proper direction for the slice he was attempting to teach her. Her expression pulled down into a deep frown of concentration as she stared at the long blade in her hands, as if that alone would force it to perform the required maneuver. Gathering her energy and back-weighting as she had been taught, the brunette held the hilt in both hands before unleashing her coiled-up muscles with a shout. She easily crossed the ten-foot distance between her and her instructor, bringing her blade down powerfully against the shield which he held as a target.
"Good—very good!" Kayne praised, lowering the thick, metal-bound disk of wood to appraise his grinning student. "It seems you finally have the jump slice under control. How do you feel about a proper sparring match again?"
Flicking some stray hair from her bangs out of her hazel eyes, Vanessa beamed at her father. "Really? You think I'm ready?"
Kayne returned her smile gently, his gleaming eyes lightening his weathered, middle-aged face with a warm glow. "We'll just have to see. You've certainly improved since we started—maybe you have a chance."
Excitedly the girl backpedaled a few paces, raising her longsword before her defensively in preparation for the start of the match. Flipping her braid over her shoulder, she exclaimed, "Alright then—let's do this!"
Though he laughed at her enthusiasm, Kayne lost no time engaging her in close-quarters combat. Dodging around his shield to the right, Vanessa circled to his back in an attempt to force a yield from behind. However her father was smarter than this and simply jabbed the butt of his spear toward her to discourage the action. As she wheeled away, searching for an opening, he skillfully morphed the jab into a spin to face her, the spear's blunt point narrowly missing.
Vanessa resisted the urge to run backwards from his next charge. Instead she sidestepped the lance to get inside his guard, twisting her sword so the hilt and pommel smacked into his chest; skewering him with the blade itself wasn't exactly an option in this fight. The force of her strike forced him to assume the defensive, retreating until her weapon could not reach past the protective arc of his spear.
"Well done so far, Vanessa," Kayne commended. "And technically I could actually say you won this fight, because in a real battle you wouldn't have been so merciful with that pommel thrust. However I'm sure you wish to try yourself in a much longer fight, so we'll let that slide for now."
Nodding to show she understood, Vanessa readied her sword for another charge. Unfortunately, just before she made her move, a commanding voice interrupted them.
"Vanessa, put that infernal thing down and come here!" her mother's voice called from their house's back door. "There's someone I want you to meet!"
Perplexed, she slowly lowered her weapon, glancing inquisitively at her father. Kayne sighed but motioned for her to obey, taking the longsword from her before she left. "Don't worry about cleaning up this time; your mother seems to have more important things in store for you at the moment."
Vanessa smiled briefly at him. "Alright. Thanks, Father."
As the girl jogged easily from the makeshift sparring ring her father had set up in their backyard two years ago, she contemplated who Aylena could possibly want to introduce her to now. Considering the fact that the buxom woman was extremely social and had connections to nearly everyone in the large town, Vanessa was slightly surprised to find that there was someone in Lynna she hadn't met yet. But she shrugged and put her musings aside; whoever it was, she was going to meet them now. Thinking about the whys and how's wouldn't change anything.
Her blond brother—seven years younger than her at the age of nine—bounced up to her as she stepped over the threshold. "Betcha can't guess who, betcha can't guess who!" he announced in a sing-song tone as she knocked the autumn mud off her boots.
Rolling her eyes at Soran's antics, the girl retorted lightly, "It's Mayor Penn inquiring about the state of the yearlings in training for the militia cavalry."
"Nope—even better!" the youth giggled, his brown eyes dancing in a mirror image of his excited feet. "You'll never believe it, Ven! You won't!"
"Soran, stop bothering your sister and let her get on with it!" Aylena chastised from the kitchen to their right. "You come and help me with these potatoes, you right little scallywag."
Laughing at her brother's disappointed groan, she mussed his hair playfully before continuing down the entrance hall into the living area proper to greet her visitor.
Upon rounding the corner, however, she immediately stopped in her tracks and involuntarily gasped.
A smile tugged at the corner of the other Hylian's lips, crystal eyes twinkling with half-concealed mirth. "What? Never seen a Hyrulean before?"
Vanessa forced her muscles to relax and offered the Hero of Time a tentative smile in return. "Ah, n-no, Hero—it's just…"
The blond warrior nodded understandingly, uncrossing his arms beneath the concealing black cloak. Expanding his arms in a gesture that revealed parts of the green tunic beneath the travel garment, he answered for her: "The average Hylian doesn't usually see the hero of three worlds—or more—randomly show up in their living room. Am I correct?"
She nodded, slowly regaining her composure. "Y-yeah." Following an awkward pause, the girl mentally slapped herself before saying, "What a poor host I am! Please, have a seat, Hero."
The Hero smiled gratefully, bowing humbly in what she suspected was an attempt at humor to make her more at ease. "Why, thank you, gracious lady. However, you don't have to call me 'Hero'; it gets tiring after a while. Please, call me Link."
Fearing that he would see the blush quickly painting her expression, Vanessa ducked her head as Link nonchalantly seated himself in her father's armchair. His eyes never left her, prompting her to do something to fill the silence that threatened to settle over them. "Um—w-would you like something to drink? Are you hungry?"
Smiling again—'Damn it, that's not helping!'—he shook his head. "No, thank you. I satisfied myself before stopping by." Noticing her discomfort, he expanded his smile encouragingly. "We can drop the formalities, if you wish; I've never been one for pomp and circumstance, anyway. Go ahead and sit down."
Embarrassed—both by her unusual timidity and being ordered around in her own home by a hero—the girl did so, forcing herself not to flop ungracefully onto the couch across the room from Link.
Before she could speak again, however, her guest dropped his cool façade and leaned forward. His angled features were set in a mask of seriousness, gauntleted hands nervously clasped together in front of him. "Aylena told me you were practicing swordplay with Kayne before I arrived," he stated bluntly.
Taken off-guard by the abrupt comment, Vanessa eyed Link warily, sizing up the blue hilt protruding from his cloak and behind his shoulder. "Why does that concern you?" she questioned slowly. "A little friendly sparring between father and daughter is nothing to frown at. And how did you know my parents' names?"
A wry smile that did not reach his eyes crossed his lips. "Your mother told me; no, in fact that's a good sign; and it concerns me because if you are to travel with me, you will need a good sense of your limits with a sword. I don't have time to be teaching a wide-eyed recruit how to hold their weapon when a flock of Kargorocs are diving at us."
Bewildered, she merely stared at the boy—who she just now realized could not be much older than her—as his words processed. "Wait—you want me to…wait. What?"
Seeing her wide-eyed expression of shock, Link chuckled, appearing relieved by something. Once more at ease, he laced his hands behind his head and leaned back in his seat, stretching his legs out in front of him. "Yes, in fact, I do.
"Allow me to explain why I'm here: the crux of it is, Nayru is missing, evil magic is stirring in the north, and the Maku Tree specifically requested that I bring you along on my expedition to investigate this." He raised one hand to stall Vanessa's obvious question. "And before you ask, I don't have a clue why she would specify you; probably some kind of intuitive hero sense or something." He sighed amusedly, shaking his head. "It seems every guardian or leader I meet has something like that…
"Anyway—" The Hero stood in one fluid motion that appeared unnaturally quick to Vanessa, clapping his hands together with finality. "The offer stands: Vanessa Satori of Lynna, will you answer the call to follow me and my men on a perilous—possibly life-threatening—expedition to the north, or remain home and continue to improve your skills in obscurity?"
Silence descended on them as Vanessa merely sat where she was, staring unseeingly at the hand Link had extended to her. A look of utmost patience was on his face, as if he understood the turmoil she was going through.
'This—this is a big choice,' the girl realized, closing her eyes and putting a hand to her head as if to focus her thoughts. 'I mean, I'll be leaving everyone behind for who knows how long if what…Link said is true. Yet—Father once said he feels I'm meant for greater things than the family business, or even the militia.'
"The Hero of Time is calling upon your skills," the voice she recognized as her impulsive half whispered.
'But what if I die in this venture? I don't know if I want to risk inflicting that pain on my family,' she countered.
"You are stronger than that, Vanessa; and with the Hero of Time watching, you have nothing to fear. And he can teach you more than Kayne ever could!"
She frowned, rubbing her temple wearily. 'But who says life by the sword is really what I'm meant for? Mother's always said…'
"Forget that—you're young yet and have so much potential! Imagine how much greater you could be, how much respect you could garner by aiding the Hero in his quest. But more than that—you can help so many in this capacity. If this truly turns out to be another large-scale battle like the fabled confrontation with Veran…why, you could be a hero in your own right, and save thousands from darkness!"
"Does my mother know what you're asking?" Vanessa questioned hesitantly.
Link was still half-smiling. "Of course. I would not come to you unless she had given her permission first."
Slowly, the girl's optimism returned. Her blood began to race with anticipation as she considered the boons from this venture. She would finally be free to roam, away from the encumbering chains of her mother's constant attempts to make her throw down the sword and take up sewing—or "something more respectable for a young lady!" as her mother put it.
Her mind made up, Vanessa stood with renewed vigor and looked from the proffered hand to the Hero's eyes. With a curt nod she clasped his hand, sealing the deal. "Count me in."
———————
Her memory of the hurried packing that ensued following her agreement to Link's request would later become a blur in her mind. At the time, however, her life felt as if it was moving by with perfect clarity. In minutes the objects of her life had been examined and kept or left behind until only the bare necessities fit into a twenty-pound rucksack on her back, including her short sword and light buckler. The majority of the weight and space was taken up by a bedroll, blanket, and some medical supplies; all but the smallest food items would be packed on their horses.
As soon as the packing was completed, she, Soran, and Aylena stood on the small lawn in front of the house to say their good-byes. Vanessa briefly wondered where Kayne had gotten to as she returned her mother's teary-eyed embrace. At the boy's begging, she picked Soran up and lightly tossed him above her head, catching him again to indulge in an affectionate noogie, their laughter lending an air of humor to the scene. The Hero of Time watched with a guarded smile from his place beside a huge blood-red mare a short distance away, almost unnoticed by the small family.
Vanessa turned and put her brother down at the sound of hoof beats coming around the side of the house nearest their little gathering. Her father appeared soon after, leading a relatively small white horse—no larger than fifteen-and-a-half hands at the withers—behind him by the reins. The stallion was completely tacked and ready for an excursion, which puzzled her.
Kayne answered the question in her eyes when he stopped before her. "You'll need a good horse; by all accounts, the Hero's steed is one of the fastest, smartest, most-devoted any horseman could wish to have." He gave her a soft smile, extending the hand with the reins toward her. "I figured the least I could do is send you off with one to match, considering the occasion."
Tears pricked her eyes, though not entirely from sadness. She forced a smile yet didn't move to take the stallion's reins. "Father, I…I couldn't."
Kayne smiled understandingly. "I am getting on in years, Vanessa, and cannot handle as many horses as I once did. Seril is young and free-spirited, but smart. He deserves to get out more and learn from experience—not just drills in a ring." He took her hand and pressed the leather in his into hers with a firmness that brooked no argument. "Remember, take good care of him, and he will take care of you."
Unable to control her emotions, Vanessa threw her arms around her father in a grateful, loving hug. Seril snorted in light irritation at the sudden gesture, but made no indication of true skittishness. "Thank you," she whispered, pulling away after a moment. "I'll come back as soon as I can."
"All that matters is you stay sharp, remember what I taught you, and listen to the Hero—if he can't get you back here safe, then no one can," he advised. "We'll wait as long as we have to, so long as the mission is complete. May the Goddesses watch over you."
Vanessa lifted the reins over Seril's head as she moved to his near flank, gathering them up in one hand again in preparation to mount. "And you as well, Father."
With that, the girl placed her foot in the stirrup and gracefully swung a leg over Seril's back, quickly settling herself in the comfortable travelling saddle. The stallion lifted a foreleg impatiently, champing at the bit in his eagerness to be off. Aylena began rattling off last-minute words of advice as her daughter nudged the horse into a walk toward Link, who had also mounted and was waiting for her at the corner of the house. Beyond him, the road curved to the left down a steep incline, where it then merged with the town's main road and passed through Market Square.
She could hear her family calling fare-wells and good-byes until long after the pair had disappeared from sight.
"So," Vanessa began once they had reached the edge of the market. "Where to first?"
Link didn't look behind him as he carefully steered his mare around some children darting through the street, which was slowly becoming more congested the closer they came to the Market. "I already spoke with the Mayor about lending me some soldiers," he explained. "We're going to meet them at the east entrance to town and go northeast from there. The castle the Maku Tree mentioned is that way, across North Gorge."
At her rider's direction his horse suddenly turned across Seril's path, forcing Vanessa into a side street. "It's going to be too crowded in the square; we'll make better time if we go around."
Though perplexed at the abrupt change, the girl managed to accept it as his reasoning registered. 'I hope it's not going to be like this the whole way,' she thought with an internal grimace. 'He's gonna be hard to keep up with if so…'
Then again, she shouldn't expect less of the Hero of Time; Kayne had once told her being unpredictable was the first step to gaining the upper hand in a fight.
The streets quickly passed by them, and within minutes the buildings thinned out around them until they had reached the palisade wall that defended Lynna from all casual and some major threats. A few of the city's militia men paced back and forth atop thin catwalks erected along the inside of the sharpened posts, eyes alert for danger within the forest a hundred yards away. Link halted Epona just before the gate, where a group of ten impatient cavalrymen waited.
Their captain, the eleventh member of the troupe, nudged his horse toward them and saluted. "Well met, Hero," he greeted cordially—though his weathered face was set in the neutral expression of someone embarking on a dangerous mission. "I trust your errand has been completed?"
Link nodded, motioning for Vanessa to move Seril up beside him. "This is Vanessa Satori. She'll be joining us for the duration of the journey. Vanessa, this is Captain Lysander."
The girl offered a sincere "Pleased to meet you" and ducked her head humbly. Lysander nodded politely in return but eyed the sword on her hip skeptically, obviously doubting the girl knew how to use it properly. He had the grace not to voice his thoughts, at least. "Understood, Hero. Shall we be off, then?"
At his superior's nod, the captain turned his horse around and signaled to the troupe to move out. The horses snorted and whinnied eagerly as their riders kicked them after the Captain, Link, and Vanessa. On the other side of the wall they surged forward into a quick lope, streaming across the hill toward the forest like a cloud released from the wind's direction to move as it pleased.
As they rode away from Lynna, a slow grin grew on Vanessa's face. She was starting off on her own adventure at last, and the fact that the Hero himself trusted her to be able to hold her own added immensely to the satisfaction and excitement of the venture.
She couldn't wait until things really got going.
