What Makes A Hylian

by The Gossip Stone

Just beyond the borders of Hyrule, in the village of Ordon, a young ranch hand seeks to fulfil his lifelong ambition and join the ranks of the Royal Hylian Forces. Though not a Hylian by birth, he strives to prove himself to both his family and the denizens of Hyrule. (Set during the events of Ocarina Of Time and told through retrospective narrative).

11. Chapter 11

After much grovelling, the Mayor had granted the carpenters an extension to their residence in Ordon (which would no doubt benefit him later on). Their tent stayed put all through autumn as they shared Hestia's pumpkin soup around the fire as the cold nights drew in.

Laurel and Jasper had reunited with Faber on multiple occasions since the road was built. The horse revealed that Ordon had partially grown on him since their stay, and that the grass was 'much greener' than in Hyrule Field.

Laurel had even explored Hyrule Field a few times with his father. As a reward for his fundraising efforts, Pan had permitted his son to accompany him on delivery trips to Lon Lon Ranch a few times. The two had grown closer and Laurel was actually starting to settle into the ranch business.

As autumn came to a close, Laurel and his father made the last journey of the year to Lon Lon Ranch under the light of a waning crescent moon. The wagon rolled lazily along as the goat towing it bumbled slowly down the road, occasionally pausing to chew on some grass.

Laurel was now approaching sixteen, and was deep into his adolescent years. Now that he was older, Pan would often share stories of his own childhood with him: how his father would sometimes take him into the forest at night on a quest to find fireflies. Once, they even caught one in a bottle, and Pan took it home and kept it on his bedside table as a lamp.

"Ordon woods is a sanctuary." his father reminisced. "A land in between the vibrancy of the village and the dangers of the forest beyond. I regret your mother's decision to prevent you from going there when you were younger. But she has her reasons."

"Ordon woods is a safe place!" Laurel replied. "You said it yourself!"

"I understand that, yes." Pan nodded quietly. "But your mother has suffered at the hands of the forest directly."

Laurel sensed the unfaltering seriousness of his father's tone as his eyes focussed solely on the road ahead. "What do you mean, Father?"

"You are now old enough to know." Pan said, and proceeded to tell Laurel of their family's dark secret.