Company

"Ordon...? You mean... you don't know what Ordon... where am I?" Link stammered and finally asked.

"You're in the Kokiri village. A race of nothing but young kids lived here at one point. What are you doing here outsider?" he answered quickly.

"I-I, I was in my village, and a person forced me to kill my friends, and I think he ran into the forest, and I was going to kill h-"

"-Wait, you say someone forced you to kill your friends?!" he exclaimed in disgust.

"Yes, he wasn't really a person though, he was more like an outline of myself, and he told me he'd be in the forest; or something like that, and I was going to take revenge for my friends." he explained, his heart burning with a nasty, deep regret as he remembered all the village kids and his father.

The man looked thoughtful for a moment," Alright," he finally said," you say an outline of yourself? I think this is the cause of the fire problem."

"Fire problem?"

The man placed a hand on Link's shoulder, and motioned for him to follow. Link walked close by the man through the small village.

"Yes, the fire problem. Surely you know of the great, magical fire, right?" he continued.

"No." Link replied with a shrug.

"Hm, let's get you to talk with the king. I think a young man driven for revenge such as yourself will be the key to ending this mess."

He led Link into a large hut with smoke rising from the top. He led him into a big, circular room. A pit was in the middle with a burning fire. Standing over the flames was a large man wearing a wooden crown adorned with flowers. He wore robes of brown and red animal skins. He looked up at Link and the soldier with interest. A bed was at the end of the room, and a long, wide sword hung on the wall above that.

Link guessed he was the king.

"Aer," he began, his lips curling into a small smile," what brings you into my chambers with an... out...si...der...?!"

Aer - apparently that was his name - nodded and gave Link a little push forward. Not hard, just enough so that he'd take a few steps towards the king. He spoke up before Link could even open his mouth.

"This outsider might be the key to bringing light back to the forest. He left his home village in search of a shadow that forced him to kill his friends. He says he wants to avenge him. I think he rescued one of out men. Well, I'm fairly sure, but still, this outsider might be able to help Anar in his quest."

The king laughed and looked down at Link. He was at least two heads taller than Link, and a lot wider," Is this true outsider? Have you saved one of my men? And are you willing to help us?"

Link hesitated, processing what he'd say to the king through his head carefully; he didn't want to mess up," No, your soldier saved me. But I'm more than willing to help."

The king laughed again," Excellent! I will explain the whole situation to you at sun high. Be ready. Aer, please bring the outsider over to a hot meal, and allow him some rest!"

Aer nodded and left the room, waving his hand for Link to follow. Link bowed to the king and made haste to catch up with the Kokiri soldier.

"Am I going to end up in some fight?" he asked him when he finally got alongside the man.

"Yes, if you accept the challenge. I cannot say for sure what monsters lay in the hollowed tree now, except you better be ready for anything, boy."

Strange, had Aer gotten angrier at him? He noticed a subtle, harder tone in his voice, just barely noticeable. Maybe he was just tired, because Link was ready for sleep. He kept by the man until he came into a crummy hut, with smoke rising from it's top as well. Inside, there was a few makeshift beds, and a woman cooked over a clay stove. She looked up from stirring her soup and waved. She looked middle-aged.

"Aer? What is it?"

"This outsider is willing to fight the monsters stopping the fire for us. He needs food and rest for tomorrow." he told her in an authoritive voice.

"Yes sir!" she told him, pointing towards two of the seven beds in the room," We'll need another bed to fit your whole comapny and the outsider. But I think I have one in the shed. Give me a moment." she quit stirring her soup and walked outside. A few minutes later, she wlaked in with a small bed, and placed it by the stove.

"Here you go, boy! Lay here while I cook and rest your back. You must have traveled far to reach here!"

Link nodded politely, trying not to look too eager, because that would be rude. But inside, he was basically having a party, because he was about to get rest. He set himself down in the bed and pulled a blanket over himself, still clutching his father's sword. He tried to stay awake, but soon, he found himself asleep.

"...is staying with us for the night. Ain't we lucky!" Link awoke to hear a man saying. A few other's laughed, and there were some footsteps, a few murmers, and some racket.

"Soup'll be ready in a minute." the woman cooking told them.

Link opened his weary eyes and slowly sat up. The room, which he had fallen asleep in, was now full of soldiers. They were all talking among each other, and one would occasionally glance over at him.

"Look, Dho! He's awake!" one man said, tapping another soldier on the bed by him and pointing at Link. All eyes turned on him.

"Does the outsider have a name?" Aer asked from the corner of the room.

"Um, Link... uh, what's going on... why are all these people in here?"

A few of the soldiers laughed, but Aer did not," They are my men, my company of village guards. This is where we lodge. Welcome to the company for now, Link."

One of the men by Aer spoke up," Why's your name Link? That's an odd name..."

"Oh shut up, Mus! He's an outsider, obviously they have odd names."

Link just laid back down as they all started to talk to themselves again. He was about to drift back into his sleep, when the lady spoke up.

"Food's ready, get some before it's all gone!"