A/N: Well, here it is; the next chapter. I don't own The Legend of Zelda; enjoy!

~Moon White Rose

Chapter 2

The thought of doing something other than sleeping for an eternity only added to Conner's extensive weariness. Nevertheless, he sat down outside his tent and took his pen into his aching, trembling fingers.

Dear Ivy,

I hope you are doing well, Alex too. I miss you both so much.

A growl-more a roar if he wanted to be accurate- ripped from his stomach and he sat the pen down. He stared at his dinner-a chunk of meat, a small scoop of mushy vegetables, a hard roll and a cup of water- and took in a bitter breath as he started on the bread. It required effort to chew it enough so that it was safe to swallow and it had no taste. He thought of the days when his wife would make fresh bread and sometimes bring him a slice- warm, sweet, and smothered in butter- right away, even if he was out in the field.

He suddenly didn't know he missed more; her or her cooking. That sounded horrible, but he had been slowly starving over the last four months and he couldn't stop fantasizing about a home cooked meal.

The camp is okay, but it's not home and you could definitely teach these guys a thing or two about how to make real food. Don't be mad at me if I eat us out of house and home when I get back, I long for some of your good cooking.

The pen was placed down again so he could scratch his upper arm. Being a farmer his whole life had let him grow accustomed to working in sweaty clothes, but this was absolutely ridiculous; it had been four days since his clothes had been cleaned. When they had arrived, everyone had been given two sets of clean clothes. How it was supposed to work was they would wear one set for two days then change into the other so that the first set could be cleaned. One set of clothes for two days. Not exactly unrealistic given the circumstances, if it actually worked out the way it was supposed to.

Truthfully, he didn't even know where his other set was and he hoped he would get it back soon. It was beyond tiring spending half the night itching from the bugs and downright appalling to be living in his own sweat and filth like a pig.

I wish we could get little gifts from home; you have no idea how much I would love just one fresh, clean towel or washcloth. Ivy, I vow when I return I'll never complain about laundry, cooking or farm work again. You cannot imagine how much I miss all of it…how badly I miss you and Alex. Not a day goes by where I don't think about you both. I'm surrounded by people on all sides, have precious little space to call my own… but I feel so alone. There are days when I think I'm going to lose my mind and it's the thought of you, of him, of us as a family that keeps me sane.

Finally seeing that thought on paper, acknowledging it, forced Conner to stop writing and stare up at the sky. He really was going insane. The hard labor, little food, poor living conditions, no rest… it was all catching up to him and he didn't know if he could last. Already men had died and this was just "training". Some of them had been clearly stronger than him yet, in time, they had dropped, only to have their bodies callously removed and taken who knows where.

What would become of him? Would he return home with this being a distant memory, or would they be tossing his body into a cart like another piece of garbage?

Ivy, I'm so scared. I know I've always been the one to be strong and make it seem like nothing is bothering me, but I don't know if I can do that now. There are days I don't even feel like the grown man I am, but a little boy thrust into a situation that can't be fixed and everyone still expects me to have all the answers. I know I only need to stick this out for another eight months, but that feels like a dozen lifetimes.

The day I left, I was so determined to make it through; I was smug, arrogant, and so sure that this would be simple and nothing I couldn't handle. How foolish I was to think such things, Ivy. I'm a stupid, stupid fool and I still can't figure out why you agreed to marry me. I don't deserve a wife as good and wonderful as you, and I don't deserve our son.

Conner couldn't think of what else to say. He hadn't intended for this letter to be depressing. How could he possibly turn it around so it ended on a happy note and didn't completely worry his wife? As he tried to think of more to say, a fellow soldier in training came up to him. Like Conner, he too was from a farming town, but unlike Conner, he was very sneaky and enjoyed eavesdropping; going to places he shouldn't be and learning things he wasn't supposed to know.

Judging by the look on his face, it seemed like Conner was going to get more bad news. "I overheard two knights talking," he lowly whispered. "Apparently some progress has been made. Hyrule has finally gotten a bit into Gerudo Territory. Unfortunately, the Gerudo are swarming to fix the break in their defenses." He looked at Conner grimly. "They plan to send in new recruits, to the frontlines. They think it's best to let the sows trample us and while they're busy doing that, the actual soldiers and knights are going to swoop in and attack. There was more to the plan, but simply put… we're bait."

Conner didn't hear anything else the man was saying and was too numb to notice him walk away. It was actually happening. All the whispers, rumors, and speculation had been true. This war, or rather the position in which you served, was all something to be bought. He had nothing to give but himself, so that's what the king wanted.

He was going to die. The thought jostled him and he looked all around shakily. Everything was normal by camp standards and he wanted to scream at them all, demand to know how they could just sit there and allow themselves to be killed and discarded. He knew the answer before even asking the question because he understood the position they were in.

There was no backing out of one's service to the crown. To do so was treason and the punishment for treason didn't end at the instigator. As much as Conner wanted to run, he stayed right where he was; he would not let his cowardice ruin the lives of his family. With nothing else to do, he picked up his pen and a new piece of paper. His first letter was folded and it would soon join all the others that had never made it out of his hand.

Dear Ivy,

I am doing extremely well, and I hope you are as well. Everything here is fine; you have absolutely nothing to worry about.

A/N: I hope you all liked this chapter; I'm sorry it took forever to get posted. Thanks to giant dragon for adding this story to their favorites and thanks to HiddenInTheSun for following it. See you next time!

~Moon White Rose