Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda. -_- (sigh)
A. N. FanArt is also a great source of inspiration you know. Seeing a piece of one of the very best FanArtists of the LoZ I have seen made me think of this plot. Have you ever heard of Silvestris? No? Well, if you are a diehard Zeldafan like myself you should check her artwork. I can't remember her sites URL, but I know that ZeldaFan.net has many of her beautiful drawings in their FanArt section. You should really check them out.
The Snow
When winter held its sway over the lands of Hyrule for the twenty-third time for Link, the Hero of time had already settled down to a common life as a young knight in the service of the King of Hyrule. Wars had stopped a long time ago and peace was dearly guarded and loved by all races of Hyrule. The Hylian soldiers had earned a good reputation as fighters, perhaps only surpassed by the Gerudo warriors, and maintained order throughout the realm in times of special danger, such as land disputes or alliance treaties. It had been quite peaceful a time in the realm indeed.
Link yawned as he stood up in his small chamber in the castle. The knight's quarters were modestly adorned with some portraits in the walls and a few arms hanging over his window to the south and his small desk in the eastern side of room. There were, in fact, five portraits all over his chamber. Three of them were well-coloured landscapes of Lake Hylia, the Lost Woods and Hyrule castle. The other two held the picture of a Hylian of the days of old, with golden hair about his fair head and elven-gray eyes that inspired the desire of wisdom in the lookers, and the picture of a fair woman with a child in her arms and shadows looming behind in ominous shapes and figures, Link's mother. Over his desk lay many newly wrought scrolls in blank waiting to be filled with perhaps songs or accounts made by the young knight. Link had been developing the custom of writing in his spare time, which was becoming ever longer and longer. The army that had shown its might many years ago during the realm's fierce wars was now but a shadow of its former splendour. The soldiers still kept their duty in ordering the realm at the King's will, but the Knights did little more that guard the people against a foe that did not exist. The need for knights was growing thin slowly but steadily.
Until, that is, the Fell Winter.
After washing his face in a clay bowl filled with water and grabbing his heavy cloak the knight exited his room and went downstairs to the castle courtyard. When he saw the white snow in the ground he wrapped his raiment about him and went to the grounds. The chill had become colder than the last day, already freezing quickly the few cobwebs that dawned between the trees' boughs. The patterns that these left always had been liked by the knight. After looking for more, he headed out to the outer grounds, where he once had entered the castle many years ago uninvited and unbidden. The snow had covered every small patch of soil that had been the day before. It was already a foot tall and the path to the castle from the gate could only be distinguished by being in a lower level of ground than the small meadow before the King's dwelling.
Noticing this but heeding it not much, Link made his way to the market after having a few words about the strange winter with the cloaked soldiers of the gates. As he arrived to the once lively market-place he saw no one but a soldier standing at the town's entrance. Outside stands were closed and only building shops were open in this freezing weather. After finding closed the Bombchu Bowling Game the young knight decided to go to the ranch. The snow had stopped falling and he thought the way should not be very hard. Tightening his cloak he started the way to the drawbridge. After bidding farewell to the gate soldier he plunged into the whiteness that had covered Hyrule Field as far as his sight could uncover.
It would take normally a couple of hours to arrive to Lon Lon Ranch, but the snow had covered heavily the plain and made it difficult to walk about it. After struggling for an hour and half Link looked about him and could see nothing but the flickering torches at the castle drawbridge to the north-west and a dim figure of the ranch's entrance to the south. Rubbing his hands, the knight realized that the sun was covered by thick clouds and the light that managed to get through was scattered and did not helped very much to the sight. The white snow made it hard to see with this uneven light and Link started to get annoyed. He marched on across the long plains for half an hour trudging along the long road.
Suddenly a moan reached his ears to the east. He gazed to whence the sound had come but could not hear anything; he could only see again the dreaded snow. Doubtfully assuring himself that the sound had just been in his mind he carried on a few steps when the sound was heard again, this time being more of a howl than a moan. He gazed again to the east and he thought he could spot a tiny dot of red in the great whiteness. He hurried his feet off the snow and ran to the red spot he had seen. His first paces were easier, but the snow made again soon very hard to run. After a few minutes of pattering and kicking he could make out what the dot of red was. A hand in a red-stained linen peered above the snow. Link hurried to dig off the snow covering the unfortunate until he could see his face. A Hylian of perhaps thirty years lay in the snow, and it covered his torn and ragged clothes stained in blood. In his frozen hand was a firmly clutched hunting knife notched and rusted, but stained in dark-red blood. The young knight hurried to lift him and place him above the snow. He unwrapped his cloak and covered the body in it trying to keep him warm as he darted with all his speed towards Lon Lon Ranch carrying the injured Hylian, hoping still for him to be alive yet.
When he was almost arrived to the ranch's gate, to his dismay, he found it closed. Calling loudly, Malon! Talon! Ingo! Anyone!, he tried to break the lock, but it was firmly wrought and could not be cloven without any tool. In his haste he drew his fairy bow and recalled the old technique he had learned in his youth. The fletched arrow began glowing and in a split-second was lit in an orange fire that struggled against the freezing wind. Link shot the arrow to the sky trying to make it fall in the ground outside the house. The dart sped up into the air and soon returned to the ground inside the ranch. Link called again, then, for his friends, hoping they had heard the dim fire blast that the shaft would utter.
"What's that?" asked Talon after the sound of a blast came from outside his house. Malon turned to the door and shook her head.
"I'll check it out," she said. But Talon hurried to the entrance. "Let me do it," he said.
He opened the door and looked about. An arrow was stuck on the ground and the snow about it had melted. Talon approached the puddle of steaming water and plucked the arrow. He looked at it confused. "What might this mean? It's like this arrow had been on fire!"
"On fire?" Malon asked. And the words had barely left her mouth when another blast was heard and a cloud of steam rose from the stable's roof. "It was a fire arrow!" the girl said as she ran to the gate. "Link must be outside!"
Malon arrived to the entrance and pulled out the lock's key. As soon as she slid the key into the padlock she heard a familiar voice from the other side of the door. "Malon? Is that you?"
"Link? What are you doing here?" she said as the gate opened. "How could you come―?"
"I'll explain later," Link said dragging the body. "Help me, I found him on the snow not far from here."
"Who is…? Never mind." the girl said as she helped Link carry the wounded Hylian into the house. Talon came and saw the young knight and his friend. Without many words he lifted the body and carried him to the warmth of the house, and he laid it on the floor by the flickering fire. When Malon had closed the door and Talon had laid his head on the Hylian's cold chest Link kneeled before the body and asked: "How bad is he?"
Touching the person's throat and remaining still for a while, the owner went silent. And after a while, he raised his head and looked at the young knight with half a moved gaze. "He's already dead, my lad. Has been for many hours now."
Link stared at the body in disbelief.
"Where did you find it?" asked Malon putting her hand in his shoulder.
"Maybe a mile from here," he answered flatly and sat heavily on the floor. "I should've checked him before dragging him all the way here," he said in an angered tone. "It would've saved me a lot of trouble." With her hand resting on his shoulder, Malon noticed he was shivering. She stood up and brought the knight a warm blanket. After wrapping it about him she sat in a nearby stool.
"I don't think you should be so hard on yourself," she said. "I mean, would you rather have left him in the middle of the field?"
"I wouldn't have brought it here, and in such a hurry, that's for sure!"
"Enough of it lad," Talon said. "This must be taken to the market; and the sooner the better. I'll take him to the castle now. And don't you even try telling me that you'll do it yourself. I can't guess why, but you chose to come all the way here with the snow and all. And you're freezing, so you stay here with Malon. I'm taking Ingo with me. We'll take the cart, don't worry."
Before Link could reply in his surprise at Talon's haste, the owner picked up the body and left for the stable. The door was shut and the young knight was left sitting in the floor with his blanket about him. Malon drew the stool near him. "You'd be more comfortable here," she said standing up and offering it to Link.
"Since when is he so motivated?" Link asked in wonder. "He always was a bit lazy."
"I wouldn't say 'a bit'," said Malon thoughtfully. "But yes, he's been much less lazy nowadays."
For the rest of the day Link remained at the ranch. Not that he was bored or annoyed; the company of Malon was enough for him to be content. But the snow had started falling again during the afternoon. Already the spot were the first arrow had fallen in flames had been covered with thick mounds of frost and the chill currents had begun blowing from the west. The ranch was as covered in snow as had every part of the realm under the sky. The clouds had darkened the field of Hyrule and the wind howled sadly carrying its bellow far throughout it. The knight stirred nervously at gazed at the door waiting for Talon to return after high noon was approaching. He told himself he should not have left Talon go and do his job over and over. But it was too late for that.
"Would you calm down?" Malon said rather annoyed. "He wasn't alone and he must already be at the inn. He'll probably be staying the night there with Ingo. I don't envy him for that, though. But he's all right, I'm sure. Stop worrying.
Link stared at the window with doubt in his eyes, but he nodded and turned his gaze away from it. "I guess you're right," he said with a sigh.
They had spent the day in conversation, not there being much more to do with the weather. Link was concerned with Talon and the death body but in his most deep thoughts he was half glad to have been all day alone with the young woman. He tried to remember why had he chosen to come to the ranch in the first place in this chilly day but he could only guess at it. "You know, I've had been writing lately," he said trying to start conversation
"Really?" said Malon interested. "About what?"
"Lots of things. Some small accounts of the temples, the field and even some songs."
"Songs? Really? Let me hear one!"
Link blushed and turned his gaze away. He stammered: "They, they're not good. You wouldn't like them."
"Oh, come on!" replied she cheerfully. "I'm sure I will!"
Encouraged by the response, the young knight stood up and smiled. "Just remember I warned you." And he sang in a fairly clear voice:
Evening is gone by this time
I am sat down writing rhyme
Searching for something to say
Waiting for the break of day
Fair weather is now but freeze
Night is cold by chilling breeze
Snow is falling like a gush
Making no noise but a hush
Sitting cross-legged on the floor
Writing down a bit some more.
Malon laughed and clapped and joined him with her own beautiful voice.
Now together we will sing
Like two flutes when they both ring
And the day shall now depart
Bidding farewell to my heart
Even nightfall can be fair
When the snow is in the air.
We can see the flakes fall down
Falling here as back in town
Though the chill is now reborn
My heart is not yet forlorn.
And they both burst into laugher.
A. N. Don't forget to review. Did you like the songs?