The sun slowly rose over the lush green mountain range, it's brilliant orange light beginning to distort any shadows and illuminate any surface it came in contact with. The green leaves of the forest in the crevices of the range could be heard rustling as birds chirped in their nest that hung from the branches of the trees. Along with the ambiance of birds and the leaves, a slow trot of hooves could be heard on the pathway through the forest as a horse and her owner walked. Sticks rattled in their sacks on each of its sides as the horse followed behind a tall, large chested man. They continued forward for a time before the man held out his hand, a signal the horse knew well from years of service that meant it was time to stop. The man looked around, stroking his white beard and mustache as he inspected the grassy areas at the base of the trees.
"Looks like we'll get a mighty haul of wood for the forge today," the man said, lowering onto one of his knees as he inspected the large sticks that lay between the grass blades. He grabbed one in his large hand and lifted it up, inspecting its thickness before holding it out to the horse. "These sticks will keep the fire strong; wouldn't you say old friend?"
As if understanding the man's words, the horse blew through its nose as it shook its mane. The man laughed as he stood, walking over to pet its large nose.
"Hungry, eh?" the man asked as he continued to pet. "You must be getting used to the apples he sneaks you in the mornings, is that right?"
The horse blew through its nose again, earning another laugh from his owner.
"Well, don't you worry," he said, patting the horse's head before looking behind it to glance at the just barely visible village near the top of the mountains. "We'll be back in Hateno soon, just as we do every morning. And then I'll get you breakfast and I'm sure he would be more than happy to sneak you a few more apples. I swear, one day I need to scold him for that. But… when it comes to gaining your fondness, I can't say it doesn't work. He has a knack for taming horses."
With a hearty laugh, he pulled himself away from the horse as he traveled deeper into the forest. As the man continued his search for firewood, higher up on the mountains in the same village he had talked about earlier, a lonesome house sitting on the edge of a mountain sat quietly as the light of dawn had begun to encase it in its light.
The light shined through the window, illuminating the interior in an orange glow. It wasn't long before the glow landed on a young boy, sleeping in a bed next to an even younger girl. As the light began to cover his face, the boy flinched before turning over, pulling the sheets over his dirty blonde hair. However, as much as the boy wanted to sleep in, he noticed the absence of a third that should have been in the bed with them. Groggily, the boy sat up, shielding his eyes from the sunlight shining through the window as he looked around. The little girl, dressed in a simple white dress with her blonde hair wild from a night of tossing and turning, continued her slumber as the light never hit her face. The boy's body had shielded her, casting a shadow over her still closed eyes. The kid sighed before a smile formed on his face, seemingly assuming the third individual had gone out to do their morning tasks.
The boy took the sheets and pulled them over the girl's head in an attempt to allow her to sleep longer without the morning light awakening her. He then carefully climbed out of bed in order not to disturb her before tiptoeing towards the wooden railing that sat a few feet away. The bed the two had slept in rested on the small loft in the house, the rest of the open filled in with a dining table and a few other knick knacks. A few weapons lined the walls, with pictures taking up the rest. The wooden table sat in the center of the room, a few flowers sitting in its center as a small, but effective, piece of decor. Other items, such as hammers, tongs, and other tools, sat in corners and other places around the large room. The only thing that seemed to be missing was the boy's father.
He scanned the room, confirming his suspicions that his father had gone out into the forest, before yawning. He walked over to the nightstand that sat next to the bed, reaching out and taking a blue piece of string in hand. He pulled back his long hair and tied most of it into a ponytail, leaving his bangs free, before walking down the stairs. Under the stairs was a little storage area, where herbs and other edibles sat in bins and boxes. The young boy reached in, taking some of the herbs and plants in hand before he walked out the front door.
The morning sunlight blinded him for a moment as he walked out into the outside. As the blinding effects from the light slowly vanished, the boy enjoyed the feeling of the grass under his feet before walking over to the cooking pot that sat under a large, wise tree. The boy threw the ingredients into the pot before grabbing a piece of flint, an element that was always hanging around their house, and a piece of iron. He crouched down, scrapping the flint with the iron before sparking a fire under the pot's bottom. He stood before grabbing a soup ladle. Pushing himself onto his toes, he began to stir the now cooking food, holding in the urge to yawn once more.
"Big brother…" a small voice came from behind him. The boy looked back to see the young girl he had covered in the sheets, standing in the doorway with one of her eyes closed, with the other being rubbed with her hand. Her hair had been lazily fixed, her bangs sitting neatly with the rest of her shoulder-length hair sitting straight, with a few loose strands here and there. "Good morning…"
"Good morning, Aryll," the boy said, trying to hide his weariness from her. The girl stumbled her way out of the doorway, choosing to sit next to her brother's legs in order to enjoy the warmth of the flames under the cooking pot. "I didn't wake you up, did I?"
The girl hummed as she shook her head, doing her best not to nod off as she sat before saying, "the light…"
"Big brother, where's Papa?" Aryll asked as she leaned against the boy's legs, who did his best not to fall over from her weight as he was still on his toes to stir the pot's continents.
"He probably went out to do his morning stick gathering," the boy said, lifting the ladle up to his lips to taste the food. Aryll's face, still full of sleepiness, lit up slightly in disappointment.
"But I wanted to go with him today…" she whined quietly. "He said I could ride the pony!"
"He also said you had to get up early enough," the boy said, bending down to pick up a plate that had been sitting in the grass next to the pot. "And that horse's name is Amara. You always wonder why she likes me more than you. You don't even call her by name."
"It can't understand what I'm saying," the girl responded, taking the plate with a vegetable omelet sitting on it from her brother's hands, who shook his head in disagreement.
"But you always talk to that cucco that runs around the village," he said as he placed another omelet on a plate. Aryll puffed out her cheeks, now coated with food, in frustration.
"Cuco is different! Cuco understands everything I say. He's special," she said as she took another bite out of her omelet with her hands. The boy now furrowed his eyes in his own frustration.
"Horses are special too," he said. "Much more than that cucco."
"Cuco is way more special!" she said loudly, her eyes now fully awake.
"He is not!" the boy shouted back.
"Says the one that eats too much!"
"Hey!"
"Now what in Hyrule's lands are you two shouting about this early in the morning!?" a booming voice yelled at the both of them. The two looked over at a wooden bridge that connected the two mountain sides just in front of the house, where the burly man and his horse had appeared walking across. "Keep that up and you'll wake all of Hateno Village!"
"Papa!" Aryll shouted as she hastily set her food on the ground. She stood and ran over the bearded man, meeting him at the bridge's end. "Big brother says that Cuco isn't as special as horses!"
"She said that horses weren't as special as her cucco's first," the boy said, continuing to make the last two plates of food. The father looked between his blonde-haired daughter and his dirty-haired son before sighing deeply. It wasn't until he noticed the pleading eyes of his daughter that he finally gave in to their little argument.
"Now, now," he began, picking up Aryll in his free arm as he grabbed the reins of the horse, Amara, and began walking forward towards the cooking pot. "Aryll, your favorite animal is a cucco. Of course, since it's your favorite, it'll be more special to you. The same goes for you, Link. You two can't argue which one is better than the other when both of you have different opinions."
The two both frowned in disappointment as the father walked up to the cooking pot. He set the girl down at Link's feet where she had left her half-eaten plate of food before standing and looking down at the little chef.
"Link," he said as he brought a hand to the boy's head. "You're six years old now. You may only be two years older than Aryll, but you're still the older brother. You should be better than to get sucked into your sister's shenanigans."
"Hm," Link nodded. "Sorry, Papa."
"And Aryll, why are you eating outside in the grass?" he asked, turning his attention back towards the little girl, who had taken the plate back into her hands.
"Big brother eats outside all the time!" Aryll said, taking another bite of the omelet as Link's eyes opened wide.
"Aryll-" Link began, however, his father quickly cut him off.
"And why does Link eat outside?" he asked her.
"To be like you!" she said with a smile. "Papa always ate outside since he's a knight!"
His father chuckled as he looked over at Link, who was now simply holding two more plates of food. He raised an eyebrow with a smile before patting the girl on the head.
"Well, your father isn't a knight anymore. I'm a blacksmith now, and blacksmiths not only work at a table, but they eat at a table," he said. "Now take your plate and go eat at the table. Link and I will follow shortly."
Aryll nodded, grabbing her plate before running back to the house. With his eyebrow still raised, the father looked down at his son, who was still holding the plates of food.
"You see that, Link?" he said, gesturing at the wooden door the girl had run through. "She doesn't say it, but she watches what you do because she looks up to you. You need to set a good image for her."
"I know," Link said, looking down at his own bare feet. "I just want to be like you."
His father sighed as he looked down at his son. They had this conversation before many times in which his father hadn't paid much attention, however, now that Link was getting older, it was clear he was serious. With his large hands, he patted Link on the head.
"We'll talk about that later. For now, why don't you take that food into the house? I'll meet you inside in a moment," he said calmly. "It looks mighty tasty there, son."
With a nod, the boy turned and turned towards the house just as his sister had done. The father chuckled as he watched Link struggle to open the door, seeing as he had two plates in his hand, however, the boy refused any help. After a few moments, he finally succeeded in opening the door and went inside. The father sighed once again at his son's stubbornness before reaching over and grabbing the reins to the horse.
He guided Amara slowly down to the wooden stables near the side of the house, clearly made by his own hands. He continued listening to the chirping of the morning birds and the clatter of wood at Amara's sides before coming to a stop. Instead of putting the horse inside the stable, instead, he unbuckled the bundles of sticks and stacked them inside. Once done, he allowed her to wander the small grassy plain that sat next to the house and stable, big enough for the horse to graze. There was no reason for him to worry as he knew she was well trained and wise due to her old age; she wasn't going to fall off the cliffside.
With a nod of satisfaction as he watched the horse slowly trot off into the small field, he began to turn towards the door before a glint of red caught his eye. He looked out towards the back of the house, behind the wooden shed and its tall tower. There, a tree stood, still in its young age. Despite its considerable youth, apples had grown on its branches, ripe and ready to eat. The burly man smiled sadly under his beard as he stared at the apples, gleaming in the morning sunlight.
"Hard to believe it's already been a year," he said quietly. "It's tough doing this on my own. I wish I just knew… if I'm raising them the way you would have wanted."
The father eventually went inside, passing a sign that said Arn's House, sitting at the table to eat his freshly made omelet, complimenting his son on his cooking skills as he ate peacefully with his children. After finishing their meals and cleaning up any messes they had made, the man along with Link, now dressed in some leather shoes, walked back out the house and headed towards the wooden shed in the back that sat connected to the stone tower. The man, known as Arn, opened the door to the shed with a key he kept on hand, revealing a messy, makeshift forge. Along the wooden walls sat hammers and other sorts of tools, with an anvil and a large bucket of broken tools sitting on the corner. In the stone tower portion of the shed sat a furnace, where the embers of the hearth raised into the heights of the tower and a bellows sat at the base of the furnace.
"Alright then," Arn said, stretching out his muscular arms before setting foot into the forge. "Are you ready for a good day of work today, Link?"
"Yes, Papa!" Link said, eagerly awaiting his task. His father grabbed an empty knapsack that hung on the wall before filling it with shiny, polished tools that had been laying on the anvil's surface. As soon as the bag was full, he handed it down for Link to take.
"Here you go, son," he said as Link took the full weight of the bag and placed the straps over his shoulder. "Now you know what to do: each of those is a tool the townsfolk asked me to repair or smith from scratch. It has their names etched into the handles, so make sure you give them to their proper owners, you got that?"
"Yes, Papa!" Link said once again. Though small in stature, the boy ran out of the shed, followed by his father who watched him disappear on the other side of the house.
"He really is small for his age…" he said to himself as he crossed his arms. "Even so, that boy is quite strong, isn't he?"
As Arn went back into the shed to begin his morning smithing, Link ran through the grass as he headed for the bridge, however, before he could step onto the wooden planks a voice called out to him.
"Big brother!" his sister's voice called. Link stopped and turned, seeing his little sister running after him with her hair and dress flailing behind. "I wanna come! Please?"
"Aryll…" Link said, looking back towards the other side of the bridge. "Having you with me would really slow me down, plus you said cucco's were better than horses…"
"I won't slow you down! I promise!" Aryll said with a pleading look, noticeably ignoring the second part of his complaint. Link brought a teasing finger to his chin, acting as if he were lost in thought. After a moment of pretending to think, in a flash, he bent down between her legs before standing with her now on his shoulders. Surprised only briefly by his sudden action, the girl laughed as she placed her small hands on his forehead for balance as Link took off running across the bridge.
The village of Hateno was now bustling as the sun had now risen high in the sky. Multiple travelers with horses and donkeys strapped to carriages roamed the streets as shop owners called out to them in attempts to gain their business. Guards dressed in bright silver armor stood at the gates with spears in hand, along with a few others littered around the village in order to keep an eye out and ensure there weren't any thieving or criminal acts being committed in the town. Though it seemed busy, Hateno was still quite a small town on the outskirts of Hyrule kingdom, and many if not all knew who the two children running through the pathways of the village were.
"Good morning, Link and Aryll!" voices of shop owners and other kids called out as the two ran by, the tools clanking around in the bag Link was carrying.
"Here are your tools!" Link called out as he went shop to shop with Aryll on his shoulders, using a free hand to rummage through the knapsack to hand a tool to their respective owners. Little did Link know that as he was handing out tools, the guards sitting on the pathway corners were watching him with a smile on their faces.
"That's Arn's children, eh?" one of them said to their partner. As they watched him run shop to shop.
"I think you're right," the second guard said, squinting through his helmet's visor in order to focus on Link. "That boy really looks like him when he was younger doesn't he? And the girl looks just like Arn's wife."
"Hey, kid!" the first soldier called out. Link looked around before locking his gaze on the guard. The guard waved, signaling for him to come his way. Link crouched down, allowing Aryll off his shoulders before taking her hand. The two walked over to the guard, who got on one knee in order to speak to them.
"You're Arn's kids, right?" he asked them. Link and Aryll nodded.
"How's he and yourselves doing?" the second guard asked. "We heard his wife passed away about a year ago. Are you all doing alright?
"Yes, we are," Link answered as Aryll looked sadly at the ground, though it was quickly noticed by the guards.
"Sorry little one, we didn't mean to make you sad," the first guard said. "We just worry about Arn is all. He was always quiet when things were tough in order not to let anyone worry about him. Your mother was the only one who got him to speak when he would get overwhelmed. Did you know that?"
"Did she really?" Aryll asked, now interested in hearing about her mother. The guards nodded. "As a Captain or leader, you want to show your underlings that if they were in any trouble, they could count on him. Captain Arn was strong, the best of the best even without being royalty. However, sometimes even the best of the best need support, and your mother found a way to crack that facade open."
"Wow! Mama was really special, wasn't she?" she said, looking up at her brother who nodded.
"Tell me, you two," the second guard said. "What do you two wanna be when you grow up?"
"I wanna have a cucco farm!" Aryll said happily. The two guards laughed.
"That's a lovely choice there!" one of them said. "And what about you, son?"
"I want to be a knight, like Papa," Link said in a serious tone. The guards stopped laughing as they looked at the small boy with interest.
"Being a knight isn't easy there," one of them said. "It takes a lot of training and commitment. Are you sure you can do it? You're quite… small for your age."
"I can do it," Link said confidently. "I want to be just like my Papa."
"Well, can't blame you there," they said in unison.
"Then you go and do your best out there, little knight," the first guard finished. "Now run along and finish your tasks. He may not be our captain anymore, but I still don't want to think about how he'll punish us if we make you late!"
Waving away at the guards, the two children continued to run around the village in order to hand out the rest of the tools their father had given them. It hadn't taken long to pass them out, in fact, they had gotten sidetracked when Aryll noticed Cuco, the cucco that she had named. Though it had taken her time to catch the little bird, to Link's displeasure of wasting time, the two had still gotten the job done early. Once the sun was directly over the village, signifying noon, the two began to go around asking any shopkeeper or household families if they had tools that needed to be fixed or fresh orders that needed to be put in for their father to smith. By sunset, Link's bag was now filled with broken tools and rupees he had collected for his father. With his bag over his shoulder, and a cucco in Aryll's arms, the two rushed back home as twilight had begun to cover the lands.
"All these are new orders and repairs?" Arn asked as he shifted through the bag Link had just handed him. The boy nodded in pride. With a chuckle, his father placed a hand on Link's head as he ruffled his hair. "Good work today, Link. You've made this old man proud."
"I helped too!" Aryll said, still clutching onto her cucco. Arn smiled under his beard as he ruffled her hair as well.
"And good work today to you, Aryll," he said. "Now, it's about time we start getting ready for bed. Aryll, go back and put that cucco back. Place him at the end of the bridge, don't go into the village alone. Link, help me put these broken tools into the shed, alright?"
"Yes, Papa," the two said together. Aryll ran off, headed towards the bridge in order to release her cucco back into the village while Link remained, following Arn into the shed.
"Did anything interesting happen in town today?" Arn asked, taking tools from Link's hands that he pulled from the bag.
"Not much, though some guards stopped us," Link answered. "They said that they knew you, and asked if you were okay."
"They did, did they?" Arn asked in response. "I should tell them that I'm okay. Good guards they are."
"They also asked us what we wanted to be when we grow up," Link added. Arn paused for a moment, leaving his son with a broken tool in his hand as he remained holding it out to him. It took a few seconds before he finally reached out to take the item from him.
"And I can only guess you said you wanted to be a knight," Arn said. "Is that right?"
"Mm," Link said simply, placing the now empty bag down. "I said I wanted to be just like you."
"Link, why do you want to be like me?" his father asked suddenly. Link gave his father a confusing look.
"To be… like you?" he repeated. His father sighed, bending down and picking his son up into his arms as he walked out of the shed.
"Link, to say you want to be like myself is a very broad term," Arn said as he carried Link through the mountainside fields and towards the horse that continued to graze near the cliffside.
"Then I want to be strong like you," Link corrected; however, his father shook his head.
"If you want to be strong, then you can be a blacksmith like me and swing a hammer," his father said. Link frowned as they came to a stop next to the large, grazing animal. Link blinked a few times before rethinking his earlier statement.
"Then I'll be a blacksmith like you!" Link said. Despite his sudden change in heart, his father only gave another of his sighs. He took his son and placed him on the back of the horse, who seemed to take no interest in the little boy and continued to focus on her grazing. "What's wrong, Papa? Don't you want me to be like you?"
"It's not that, son," his father said as he looked out into the mountain range, illuminated by the twilight. "I'm happy you want to be like me; any father would be. But I want you to be more than just what you believe I want you to be."
"What do you mean?" Link asked.
"Back before I had retired from being a knight, there was a little girl I would constantly see," he said as he looked towards his son. "She was a bright one, the same age as you. And can you guess what she enjoys doing in her spare time?"
Link shook his head, unable to not only answer the question but also to figure out why his father was telling him this.
"That girl loves to read and learn," he said with a smile. "She messes with any ancient piece of relic she can get her hands on, and reads books until she can no longer keep her bright green eyes open. She does these things because she loves them. And guess what? Her parents have very, very important roles!"
"What do her parents do?" Link asked curiously. The blacksmith raised his eyebrow, side-eyeing the boy as he kept him in suspense before answering.
"Why, her parents are the Queen and Prince Consort of this land!" he said loudly as he raised his arm, stretching his hand out towards the mountains. Link's eyes grew wide as he scooted towards the front of the horse's neck.
"The Queen and Prince Consort?" Link asked excitedly. "You've told me stories about the Queen's kindness! How she's the one that got you and Mama to marry! And how the Prince Consort chose you to be head of the Royal Guard! Wouldn't she want to be like her parents? They're amazing!"
"They are, and their jobs as rulers are important ones," Arn said as he turned towards Link. "However, that girl seems to follow a different one than her parents. She must become a ruler like her parents but will do it in a way that makes her happy. And let me tell you, Link, when she does what makes her happy, she has the brightest smile on her face. It's a smile any evil from even the darkest of hearts will be purified with its purity. It's a smile that I wish to see on you and Aryll."
"So, I can be a knight like you then?" Link asked with a smile. "If it makes me happy?"
"Well… I'm not sure. With knighthood, it's a bit more than just that," Arn said. "You're small for your age, Link. If you don't start really growing, I'm not sure if the guards would take you into their ranks. And even if they did, you need more than just the desire to be strong in order to live a life of knighthood. I don't want you joining and pushing yourself that hard just because you wish to be like me."
"Then why did you join, Papa?" Link asked curiously. Arn chuckled as he looked back out towards the mountains.
"Your grandfather wished for me to be a blacksmith like him, making weapons for the knights," Arn began. "I wanted to be more than just a metal worker, however, he insisted I keep the family tradition. Some of our family histories go into knighthood, some go into smithing. My father wanted me to be a smith, saying that was more useful to the royal family since we aren't of noble blood. Alas, I went into the guard to prove him wrong."
"Did you not enjoy it?" Link asked.
"Not at first," Arn said with a chuckle. "It was more work and training than I had anticipated. But soon I did find something I wanted to fight for. I traveled the lands and met its people. Before too long, I wanted to fight to protect those in need, and protect the smiles on people's faces. Even then, however, it wasn't until I met two people that I knew I had made the right choice."
"And who were they?" Link asked.
"Princess Zelda… and your mother," Arn said. "And that was very late into my career. Listen carefully, my son. If you wish to be a knight, then I will test you to see if you can make it in their ranks. However, I need you to have an answer as to why you want to be a knight other than just to be like me. Every knight has a purpose that pushes them further, while others who are just there become miserable. When you believe you find that purpose, come to me."
"Yes, Papa," Link said with a smile as Arn took him in his arms again. "I will. If I do become a knight, will I get a horse like Amara?"
"You would," his father laughed. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather be a rancher? With your love of horses, I'm sure you would do well breeding and breaking in horses. Tell me, son, what would you want to name your own horse?"
"Epona!" Link said immediately. This, however, caught his father off guard.
"Where did you hear that name?" he asked curiously. Link gave a shrug.
"I just came up with it," he said cheerfully at the thought of having his own horse.
"That is the name of a very famous horse, ridden by the heroes in the legends," his father said suspiciously. "It's said that with each incarnation of the hero, the spirit of its stead reincarnates with him. It's a legend very carefully passed down by the royal family. I only heard it by chance when Sheikah attendants happened to be discussing the legends with the Queen before my retirement. I've kept that a very close secret, Link. You've never heard that horse name anywhere else?"
"Never," Link said simply. His father stroked his beard in curiosity, however, he shrugged before pointing a finger at Link.
"It must be a coincidence; however, I must tell you not to name your horse that," Arn said. "We can't have the royal family thinking we know things that we shouldn't."
"But you do know things," Link said.
"And they'll never know," Arn responded. "That stays between us, alright?"
He held his free hand out to Link. With a smile, the boy shook it.
"That's my boy," Arn said as he began to walk towards the house with the boy still in his arms. "Now, why don't you make dinner tonight? Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if you wanted to be a chef. With how much you love food and how well you cook it, you could open a shop in Hyrule Castle Town and easily thrive!"
"Maybe I'll think about that then!" Link said cheerfully as the two walked towards the front door. Before Arn could open the door, however, a call from the bridge made him turn around. A person wearing some of the fanciest clothes Link had ever seen was currently riding a decorated horse across the bridge. His clothing was dark blue, with white boots and gloves. The lining of the tunic was lined with gold, with a gold outline of a bird etched into its center, and three triangles placed near the collar bone area. His rounded hat sat on his heat, sporting a pure gold shield crest that sparkled in the twilight. Link looked over at his father, whose eyebrows had risen in curiosity.
"Is this the residence of Sir Arn, Captain of the Royal Guards of the Hylian Royal Family?" the person said, stopping his horse just a few meters away from Arn and his son.
"This is, though I'm retired now," Arn said calmly. "If the castle guard is looking for me to return to an instructor position, tell the queen my days of service are over. She knows me well, she'll understand-"
"Actually, sir, I've come bearing news from King Rhoam," the person said. Arn immediately furrowed his eyebrows. He placed Link onto the ground, keeping his gaze on the messenger.
"Link, go inside and make sure you and Aryll stay in there until I come in," he said sternly. "Can you do that for me?"
"Yes, Papa," Link said, though he was intrigued as to what the messenger had to say. He entered the house, leaving Arn and the messenger alone.
"What do you mean King Rhoam?" Arn asked. "And why send a member of the Royal Guard to come to see me if not for recruitment? What has happened?"
"I'm sorry," the messenger said. "But it was decided that you should be one of the first to know due to your previous status amongst the Royal Guard and your personal connection to the Queen thanks to your years of service. It actually has to do with her Majesty herself…"
...
The next morning Link awoke not to the blinding light of dawn he had the day before, but to the loud rustling of leaves of the trees that surrounded his homestead. As usual, he looked over to see Aryll sleeping soundly with their burly father nowhere to be seen. With a yawn, Link reached over his sister and grabbed the blue string on the nightstand, bringing it back and tying it behind his head to make his familiar ponytail. With a stretch of his arms, he scooted past his sister and slid off the bed. With the wood creaking beneath his feet, he walked down the stairs and out the door. The wind blew into his eyes, making it hard to take in the beautiful sight of the sunrise. After adjusting his eyes to the wind and light, Link looked around to take the small but beautiful grassy plain that sat on the cliffside they lived on. While the grass looked as beautiful as ever in the orange light of sunrise, what Link hadn't expected to see was his father's horse grazing in those plains.
Link's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he took a few steps towards the side of the house the plains sat on, wondering why the horse was still here enjoying her morning breakfast instead of out with his father collecting wood for the forge. It wasn't until he glanced over at the apple tree in the backyard did, he realize why his horse was still here. Link jogged over to the uneven wooden fence, ignoring that he was still barefoot, and climbed over its splintery boards. Once in the backyard, he sat in the grass and plucked out any stinging splinters that he had gotten before looking up towards the burly man with only his back visible as he sat criss cross in front of the apple tree.
"Papa?" Link called out as he pushed himself to his feet. His father didn't respond, remaining in his sitting position without even a glance back at his son. The boy walked closer, trying to get a glimpse of his father's face. Despite his best efforts, the man's bandana shadowed his eyes, with his beard and mustache shielding his facial features as his head remained lowered.
"Papa?" Link called out again, tapping the man's large backside. The man didn't budge. It was as if he were a boulder, sitting in a grassy plain with no other inhabitants in sight as he continued to sit quietly in front of the apple tree. Growing worried, Link reached out to tap his father again, however, the cries of his sister could be heard from the front of the house.
"Big Brother? Big Brother, where are you?"
He turned back towards the house before giving another glance at his silent father. With one last worried glance towards Arn, the boy ran back over to climb over the fence before heading back to his sister. Aryll's own worried look turned into that of cheerfulness the moment her brother appeared from the side of the house. After one look, however, her cheerful features fell slightly at the sight of Link's face.
"Big Brother, what's wrong?" she asked. "Are you okay?"
Link looked into his sister's worried blue eyes before raising a hand and placing it on her head. His frown turned into that of a smile as he messed up her hair even more than it already was.
"I'm okay," he said in as happy of a voice as he could. "Are you hungry?"
"Yeah!" Aryll responded with her smile returning as she indulged in her brother's head pats. Link nodded before removing his hand.
"Then go inside and I'll make food," he said. "Papa will get mad if we eat outside again."
Aryll nodded before running back into the house, closing the wooden door behind her as she did. Link waited until the door closed to allow his smile to fall back into a frown as he glanced over at the side of the house. With a curious hum, he turned and walked over to the cooking pot.
Using the remainder of the ingredients he had used the day prior, Link once again cooked up three plates full of omelets. He took two of the plates and walked into the house, pushing the door open with his shoulder. There, sitting at the table happily swinging her legs was his sister, eagerly awaiting her morning dish. With a smile, Link walked over and placed the dish in front of her.
"Is Papa not gonna eat with us?" Aryll asked, grabbing the omelet with her hands in order to take a bite. Link shrugged.
"I'm not sure," he said, placing his plate down on the table in front of an empty chair. Instead of sitting, however, he turned back and headed towards the door once more.
"Big brother?" Aryll called out.
"I'll be back," Link said before she could ask. He walked out and closed the door behind him before walking over and picking up the third plate he had left in the grass next to the cooking pot. He carried the plate of food around the house before reaching the fence. He crouched down, sliding the plate under the lowest plank before climbing over the highest one. After clearing the fence, he took the plate in hand and walked over to the sitting man. His father hadn't moved at all since Link had left, still looking down at his crisscrossed legs as he remained in the grass. Instead of prodding further, Link simply sat the plate of food down next to his father before running off to join his sister in the house to eat their meal.
As dawn turned to midmorning, Link observed from afar as his father continued to sit in front of the tree. He moved from sitting on the fence to sitting next to the pond, before eventually moving to sit only a few feet away from Arn in the grass. Though he hadn't given any sign of what he was feeling, Link remained watching carefully for anything that would allow him to somehow help, however, once noon hit, he couldn't help but feel his father would not show any kind of emotion. Running out of ideas, and truthfully getting bored of plainly observing, Link twisted his waist as he continued sitting next to Arn to see the shed door hadn't been properly closed the night before. He took one glance up at his father before standing. He ran over to the shed door, getting on his toes in order to reach the handle. The door slowly creaked open as he pulled back, revealing the darkness inside.
As expected, the forge hadn't seemed to have been used since the day before. Slivers of steam slowly rose from the hearth's remains, as the sack of broken tools Link had given his father were scattered onto the anvil. The boy walked into the shed, getting on his toes to look at the anvil's top where the weapons lay. None of the tools had been moved, meaning nothing had been repaired or fixed for the day. With a frown, Link lowered himself before looking around the dimly lit shed once more. It wasn't until his eyes fell upon the empty leather bag that he had an idea.
He scuttled over and took the bag in his hands. He threw the long straps over his shoulder before rushing out the door, forgetting to close it behind him. He glanced over at his father's backside at the end of the yard one last time before running alongside the side of the house. As he passed the front door, heading towards the bridge, he heard his sister's voice call out to him once again, making him stop in his tracks and turn around.
"Big brother…" Aryll said, once again standing in the doorway. Apparently, her cucco had come to visit for this time, with Aryll holding its feathery body tightly in her arms as she looked at him with worried eyes. "Is Papa going to be okay?"
For a split second, Link's own worry had appeared on his face as he stared into his sister's worried blue eyes. Despite this, Link attempted to put on the best smile he could.
"Papa will be fine," Link said as he turned his back to Aryll. "Papa is strong. There's nothing he can't overcome."
With those words, Aryll watched as her brother sprinted across the bridge before disappearing into the village. Hateno was as busy as usual. Travelers with horses would come through the gates as shopkeepers called out to them in advertisement. As Link ran through the town, asking any of the business owners if they had any broken tools for the day while also apologizing for not having any orders to return.
"Arn taking a break for today?" one of the shopkeepers asked as Link passed by. The boy nodded as he continued on, running through the little towns dirt roads with dirt flying at his heels. Though the town itself seemed normal, something still felt off to him. Something was wrong. His legs began to slow down as he came to a halt in the middle of the road. Time seemed to slow down as he observed everything around him. The clattering of horse hooves, the creaking of carriage wheels, the slowed shouts of business owners, and the now undecipherable conversation of any villagers standing around in small groups. It wasn't until Link's eyes landed upon the guards they had talked to the day before that he realized what the change in the atmosphere had been.
Though they were the same guards from yesterday, even standing in the same spots with their spears in hand, they stood unmoving. Their happy smiles and laid-back stances had been replaced with rigid ones as their spears stood tightly at their sides. Time returned to its normal pace as Link walked towards them, avoiding the minimal traffic of horses as he approached.
"Excuse me," he said, tapping on the guard's armor-plated thigh. The guard's helmet snapped down, staring down into Link's soul. He stood silent for a moment before blinking a few times between his visor, apparently just now recognizing the boy who had asked for his attention.
"Arn's boy…" he said softly, kneeling on one knee as he met Link at his own eye level. "Are you okay? I hope the news didn't put you into too much shock."
"News?" Link asked curiously. "What news?"
"He hadn't told you?" the guard asked quietly. "Has the old captain gone silent again?"
Link nodded, trying his best to read the guard's half-covered face.
"Do you know why he has?" he asked. "Why has Papa gone quiet? What happened?"
Despite Link's earnest plea for answers, the guard simply shook his head as his partner took a deep sigh, apparently doing his best to maintain his rigid composure. Link took a bit of a closer look into the other guard's face. Even with his visor on he could make out the bloodshot eyes, along with what seemed to be old tear marks that remained on his cheeks.
"I'm sorry, son," the guard on his knee said as he placed a hand on Link's shoulder. "But it's best if your father is the one to tell you."
The guard stood, returning to his rigid stance as his eyes began to lose color signifying his lack of attention to anything happening outside his own mind. Link looked at the both of them confused, backing up a few paces before turning around to dash back towards the house. He sped up the path and back across the bridge, dropping the bag barely full of items as its condiments clattered to the ground. Link ran across the side of his house before jumping over the fence, ignoring any tiny splinter that pierced his skin. He ran over to his still sitting father, stopping just a few feet away.
"Papa!" Link called out in a shaky voice. For the first time since morning, Arn turned his head just slightly to look back at his son. One glance into his son's eyes gave him the answer he needed. He looked back down at his crossed legs before giving a weak sigh.
"I'm assuming you heard what happened from the guards in town, yeah?" his father asked quietly. Link, however, shook his head.
"No," he answered. "They said you should be the one to tell me… Papa, what's wrong with you and the guards? Why are they acting strange? Why are you?"
Link watched as Arn got to his feet. He could hear the cracking of his stiff bones as he turned. He walked over to his son and got on one knee just as the guard had earlier. He placed both of his burly hands on each of Link's shoulders and looked into his son's deep ocean blue irises.
"I'm sorry, Link," Arn said before clearing his voice to finish his sentence. "The Queen… has passed from this world."
Link's eyes grew wide as they dulled in color. The Queen had… died? He had never met the Queen, but his mother's and father's stories had told enough about her kindness that he had grown to look up to her image. To think someone such as her would just suddenly vanish from their world. To Link, it was unimaginable.
"But… but…" Link began to stutter out, however, he was unable to finish any of his sentences. The old knight gave a deep sigh before bringing his son into a deep hug.
"I understand, son," Arn said as he held his son tightly. "I understand."
"But, Papa," Link said, pulling back from his father's grasp slightly. "What about the Princess? Is she alright?"
Arn looked at his son with a pained expression, he closed his eyes as he looked down at the ground.
"Remember when you lost your mother, son?" he asked quietly. Link silently nodded. Taking his answer, Arn continued. "Well, if you remember, you stayed strong. You didn't even cry. If I remember correctly, you didn't cry because Aryll was crying, and you did your best to cheer her up and let her know it was going to be okay. You can't comfort Princess Zelda because of her status the way you did your sister. But we can show her support by going to the Queen's funeral and show our support."
"Go to the Queen's funeral?" Link asked. "Together?"
"Yes," his father nodded. "The King wishes for me to attend due to my relationship to them, even without noble status. I wish to bring you and Aryll with me on my journey to the castle. That is if you would like to go."
"I would," Link said almost immediately, his face now filled with determination. He may not know the princess, but if what his father had said is true, then he wanted to give her his utmost support. His father nodded with a sad smile.
"Then we leave tomorrow at the break of dawn. I'm sure Amara wouldn't mind giving us one last cross-country ride."
The father picked his son up into his burly arms before beginning to walk towards the fence.
"Then let us get our rest for tomorrow," he said as he opened the gate Link had apparently been refusing to use. "It'll be about a day's journey to the castle if we go through the mountains and then take the path through Mabe Village. You've never been outside Hateno, have you?"
Link shook his head. Arn chuckled as he opened the door to be greeted by his young daughter. He patted the girl on the head before saying, "well, I hope this won't be the last time you take a trip outside these small village walls. I wish for you to travel the lands. That goes for you too, little Aryll. Life doesn't last forever. So make sure you live your life the way you want, and try many things before it's too late. Make friends, enjoy yourself even when working. Always make sure that you are happy, no matter what. That… is what I wish for the both of you."
...
It had taken from the crack of dawn to the final embers of twilight fading from the darkened sky for the family of three to reach Castle Town. On the elderly, yet powerful horse, Amara, Arn with his children sitting in the front of the saddle had ridden from Hateno Village and into the mountains. By mid-morning they had reached the magnificent walls of Fort Hateno, a stronghold guarded by similar protectors to those who were stationed in the village itself. After being cleared, they rode nonstop until they found themselves galloping through the small towns of Hyrule Field. Aryll and Link marveled at the large stone brick buildings, amazed at how big and fancy the towns near the castle could be. Arn couldn't help but roll his eyes. He couldn't help but wonder how they would react when they saw Castle Town or the castle itself.
Despite his earlier beliefs, their reaction wasn't much to laugh at. Aryll had fallen asleep near the end of the trip, with her head resting on her brother's chest. Link, however, was wide awake. Bumping on the saddle with each gallop, Link watched as the looming shadow came into view in the darkening sky. His face remained emotionless as his eyes focused on the castle's towers. One of those tall, pointed structures had to be Princess Zelda, who was most likely dealing with nothing else other than the thought of her mother's loss.
Arn brought the horse to a slow stop just before the gate. He tapped Link on the shoulder, signaling his son to stay on the horse as he himself climbed off. Link watched as his father slid off the horse's saddle before turning towards one of the gatekeepers. These men were different than the guards that were posted across his hometown. Their armor was much thicker, decorated with a white cloth, accented by blue lines and an elegant red bird crest in its center. After being approved even in the late hours of the night, the guards allowed the gates to open for them. Arn jumped back onto his horse before grabbing the reins that sat behind Link's back. With a kick of her sides, Amara began to trot into the town.
Castle Town seemed to be like the rest of the towns they had come across during their travels, with buildings of stone brick and mastery craftsmen ship in the finer details. Bird crest could be seen on the end of buildings with some sticking up along with walls that followed the road. The wood that outlined the building's basic structures were perfectly cut and stained dark colors in order to give its buildings a perfect contrast to the bright stone that made up the walls and roads. The only difference that seemed noticeable to the little boy was the brilliant blue tiles that covered the perfectly crafted roofing of the town's buildings. To Link at least, it wasn't until they began to pass the center of the town that he was impressed with its beauty. Sitting at the town's center was a large, beautiful fountain. Its water seemed to give off a radiant glow, one even the clearest of ponds in Hateno couldn't match.
Even in the depths of night, the town still seemed busy. Shops had remained open, with lanterns illuminating their entrances. Townsfolk seemed to be in a hurry, carrying buckets of laundry and other goods from a day's worth of shopping. Arn pulled back on Amara's reins slightly, bringing her trot to a casual walk before mumbling under his breath how he had forgotten how crowded the city could be.
After what seemed like an eternity of weaving the large horse through the masses, eventually, they found themselves trotting up the grand stone bridge towards the castle gates. The bridge was dotted with large red and blue banners that stood on each side, while the gates had two large towers, one for each side, both showing the might of the kingdom before even entering the grand structure.
The castle was much more beautiful up close, and that was saying a lot when being compared to its sheer magnificence from its distant view when in the fields. Each window was illuminated with a golden light, giving the castle a warm aura as it dimly shone in the evening darkness. The shadow of flags could be seen just barely moving in the breeze, and tiny specks of figures patrolling its bridges and pathways could be seen holding their own lanterns.
"Halt!" a powerful voice called out to them as they approached the gate. Standing at its front, four knights stood stiffly at their post with their spears in hand as they slammed them down in intimidation at the call of their superior. Arn brought the horse to a stop, allowing the knight's gate captain to walk forward to greet them.
"All entry to the castle, whether unscheduled or scheduled, have been canceled without any exceptions," the captain said, looking up at Arn on his horse. "I'm sorry, but whatever business you have will have to wait for another day."
"It is I, Sir Arn, previous Captain of the Queen's and Prince Consorts Royal Guard," Arn said in a professional tone. "I have been invited by the Prince Consort, now King, Rhoam. I believe you understand the implications."
"Captain Arn!" the gate captain said after staring into the old man's face. "My apologies!"
The guard turned towards the gate before raising a hand into the air, signaling for another armored knight standing behind its closed bars. The knight moved forward, leaning into the gate to hear his captain's next words.
"Signal for King Rhoam!" the captain commanded. "Tell him Sir Arn is here, and learn what his requests are for him!"
The knight nodded before running up the slopes towards the castle doors. As the captain watched his subordinate runoff, he turned back to look up at the three sitting on the horse, his gaze fixing upon Link and Aryll.
"Are these little tykes yours?" he asked Arn.
"Indeed, they are," Arn said, his voice giving off a sense of pride. The captain nodded as he looked between the blue-eyed boy and the sleeping girl.
"Welcome to Hyrule Castle," the captain said to Link with a small lowering of his head. "Please, do make yourself at home."
"Sir Arn of Hateno," a deep voice came from behind the gate. The three of them looked back towards the closed bars to see a darkened figure, even larger than Link's father, walking towards them. On both sides stood two other much smaller figures walking beside him. Once the royal trio arrived at the gate, all the knights, except for the captain, lowered onto one knee as the impressive figure began to look around at each of the guards. Eventually, his gaze seemed to land on Arn and the horse. The man gave a simple raise of his hand, receiving a nod from the captain in return.
"Open the gates!" the captain called out. With a jolt that shook the ground beneath them, the creaking of chains and gears became louder as the bars began to rise from the stone pathway it sat on. Slowly it raised higher before coming to a jolting stop, staying in the air allowing those beneath it to pass through at will. The large figure came forward, stepping into the moonlight. The man had an impressive build, twice the height of any knight that surrounded them. The closer he came; the more Link could make out the elegant dark robes that billowed slightly in the wind. The robes were lined with gold accents that sparkled slightly in the moonlight. What shined brightest in the white, evening light was the crown of pure gold that sat on his head, full of graying long locks of hair that merged with his large, grand beard. As he grew closer, his large rounded nose pointed at Link as his green eyes glanced in his direction. The boy felt something heavy build in his chest as the strong green eyes landed upon him. The kindness he had expected to see from his father's stories was not in their gleam. All that existed was sorrow, yet a strong fire behind them. Instinctively, Link began to hold his sister tighter as the man stepped next to the horse and looked up at arm, almost eye level with the blacksmith.
"Sir Arn," the man said in a deep, rumbling voice. The captain had now kneeled along with the rest of the knights, and the two smaller figures had appeared at each of the man's sides. Link glanced over at each of them. These men were different than the armored individuals that guarded the gate. Instead of thick armor, they wore impressive, almost pompous, tunics. The clothing was a brilliant royal blue, with striped burgundy undergarments to contrast them. Each had a puffy blue hat, with shield-shaped goldcrests sitting on their brim. Both guards had spears, just as the knights had in the gates, however, theirs gleamed with gold etchings and purple leather wraps. Both knights, as soon as they arrived at the large man's side, put a white-gloved hand to their heart before bowing slightly towards Link's father.
"Men," Arn said with a small nod in their direction before looking into the impressive green eyes that had greeted him. "Your Highness."
Arn made to get off the horse, supposedly to kneel just as the rest of the guardsmen had, however, the King once again raised a hand, signaling the blacksmith to stop his attempt at dismount.
"Do not bother, Arn," the King rumbled. "You'll just have to get back on it. We all know this horse only responds to you; one of my men wouldn't dare try and take her to the Castle Stables without you."
"Thank you, King Rhoam," Arn said, adjusting himself to stay on the horse. Rhoam raised a large hand into the air, placing it onto Arn's shoulder. Link couldn't believe his eyes. The King was touching his father? He had always known his father, even being a commoner, had gained the attention of the Royal Family. But enough to be treated like such? Even Link knew this was an honor not many received.
"It's good to see you," King Rhoam said quietly with a small smile, his eyes now filled with sincerity. Arn simply nodded his head. The two stared at each other for a moment, as if having a silent, mental conversation before Rhoam eventually moved his hand away.
"Is the princess alright?" Arn asked. Link's ears twitched at the mention of Princess Zelda. The king sighed as he looked up towards one of the towers.
"She's been different, but I cannot blame her," he said with a deep sadness. "She hasn't cried. Hasn't… reacted. She's simply taken the training she's been given as a princess to heart, acting strongly in the face of any who stand before her, including me. What I wouldn't give to see her smile once more."
"I'm deeply sorry," Arn said, however, the king simply shook his head.
"The Queen spoke highly of you to her," Rhoam said. "Maybe you being here will make her feel better, knowing that a friend of her mother will be here. I thank you for coming all this way on such short notice."
"Not at all, My King," Arn said with another nod. "I'm glad I was chosen to pay my respects. I hope you don't mind that I've brought these two with me."
The father gestured to the children sitting in the front of the horse. Rhoam looked down at the boy and the sleeping girl once more. The heaviness in Link's chest had somewhat subdued as he now noticed the glint of kindness in the king's eyes.
"I believe your name was Link if memory serves me right," he said, holding a hand out to the small boy. Link glanced down at the large hand before looking up at Rhoam, bringing his sleeping sister closer to his chest.
"I'm sorry about him," Arn said with a bit of nervousness in his tone. "He's… not used to this kind of setting."
The king withdrew his hand, his eyes still glued upon the shaggy little boy. Link grew slightly worried, now regretting not taking the man's hand as the green eyes remained staring into his blue. Despite what he had anticipated, the King simply smiled.
"Your father," he began. "Is a man I would trust with my life, and to this day still do. These Royal Guards at my sides," he gestured to each red and blue garbed knight. "Were trained by Arn himself. There is no one better in the land at teaching the ways of a knight. I am proud to have had him as the Captain of my Royal Guard."
Link couldn't help but smile at the sound of that. He looked back at his father, who seemed to have reverted back into his old knightly mannerisms.
"You speak too highly of me," Arn said. "I'm just a commoner who happened to make it into the Royal Guard. Nothing more, nothing less."
"So he says," Rhoam retorted, smiling down at Link. "Do you plan to become a knight, young one?"
"I…" Link began, taking a quick glance over at his father. Arn glanced down at his son, giving him an emotionless expression. "I'm… not sure."
"Well," King Rhoam said, raising his hand again. "Wherever you plan to put your hands to work, whether it's in the small town of Hateno or here in Castle Town… I expect great things from you."
Link grunted in response, lowering his head to allow the king to place his hand on top of his hair.
"Well, it's a bit unorthodox to carry out a conversation this late," Rhoam said, removing his hand to turn his attention back to Arn. "We can continue our greetings inside. If you would, I'd like to welcome you to my study to discuss your thoughts on how we move forward. Would you allow one of my Royal Guards here to take the young ones to their room?"
"Room?" Arn asked. "Are you suggesting we stay in the castle? Your Highness, I couldn't-"
"Please, Sir Arn," Rhoam said in disapproval. "After your years of service, I wouldn't allow anything less."
Though the retired knight seemed to want to argue more, he lowered his head in defeat before turning his attention to Link.
"Go with the Royal Guard," he said. "I'll meet you in the castle. Be good, and don't make a fool of yourself. I know how you can be, you're a troublemaker like your old man."
Link nodded as one of the Royal Guards stepped forward. The guard placed the gold etched spear on his back before reaching for the small sleeping girl sitting atop the horse. Reluctantly, Link allowed his sister to be taken into the guard's arms before being helped off the horse. Holding on to the knight's freehand, with the other being occupied by Aryll's limp body, the guard began to guide him towards the castle. Link took one last glance back at his father and the King. Arn had begun to ride his horse into the gate with the King following him with a few other knights. After seeing the two disappear, Link faced forward towards the illuminated castle.
"I welcome you," the guard said as they reached the first entrance. "To Hyrule Castle."