[Author's note: This is probably the closest thing to a traditional Zelda story I will ever write. There are a few points I would like to make clear. This story assumes the traditional storyline (3 time periods: OoT/MM - LttP/LA - LoZ/AoL). The setting takes place approximately three years after Adventure of Link. Much of the action takes place in the AoL setting, so many town names come from there. The Village of Outcasts is located north of Saria and south of Ruto towns, but along the western border. The Goronian mountains are the mountain range that formed the western border of the AoL playing map. Kariko, the Lost woods, and Garamonde are all located to west of these mountains, outside the playing map. Queen Zelda is the one rescued in LoZ, and not the sleeping Zelda from AoL. The sleeping Zelda is simply unimportant to the story, and so not mentioned. Finally, Roam is in no way related to Roam from Nintendo Power's LttP comic series. He was simply my inspiration.]
I
The sword swung around, aimed squarely at Link's head. Fortunately, he brought up his heavy shield in time, and the blade crashed into it. Link thrust his own blade forward, but his adversary blocked his attack. They grappled for a moment, swords grating against shields, until Link finally pushed him off. They circled each other, testing the other for weakness. Suddenly, Link's foe launched himself towards Link, ready to swing his blade. He feinted to the right, and then thrust his sword to the left, aiming for Link's unprotected chest. But Link was ready for it, and swung his shield around in time. This knocked the man off balance, and Link finished the counterattack by swinging his sword deep into the man's side. With a grunt, he fell to the ground.
Link stood over the other, and offered his hand. The young soldier accepted it, wincing as he stood up. "Sorry if I hurt you, Aron. I should not have attacked so violently."
"No. It was my fault. I left myself too open there. I did not think you would be able to react so quickly. It was stupid of me.... It is just a bruise. I will be alright."
Link nodded solemnly. In truth, he was not sorry. The lad was training to become a knight in Hyrule, where his life would be on the line. He cannot make the same mistakes in a true battle. If injuring himself makes him learn quicker, than it is for the better. "The feint itself was pulled off well, but you made two mistakes. Attack is nothing without a defense. Always insure that you can fend off any counterattacks, and do not attack until it presents itself. Only a desperate man would attack blindly. And never underestimate your opponent."
Aron nodded, embarrassed at the correction. "I know. It will not happen again." His face broke into a slight smile. "I should know better than to underestimate you of all the knights."
Link ignored that last remark. Now he was embarrassed. He was not comfortable with his role as the savior of Hyrule. It all seemed unreal to him. He was a mere 14 years old when he left his home town and decided to travel and see the world. But his first stop, the land of Hyrule, was to be his last. Not long after disembarking, he saved an old woman, who in fact was the princess' nursemaid Impa, from some pig-like beasts called Moblins. She informed him of Hyrule's plight, and the evil Ganon. He accepted the quest she gave him, never dreaming that he would be able to fulfill it. Yet he had recombined the Triforce of Wisdom and destroyed Ganon. A year later, he had started another quest, again at the bidding of Impa. He discovered the Triforce of Courage. Since then, no one else was able to use the Triforce except him. The three pieces could not be separated, and no one understood why. Legends were already springing up throughout the towns about Link, and how he was chosen to wield the Triforce and usher in a new age. Link, hero, knight, bearer of the Triforce, and some suspected future king, did not truly enjoy his standing. There were many fine people in Hyrule, and many heroes. Unfortunately, Link, because of the major role he played in stopping Ganon, was singled out.
The two walked out of the field and closer to the barracks that housed the knights in training. While replacing their blunted swords, Link noticed many of the younger soldiers staring at him. Another aspect of being a hero that Link did not enjoy. These soldiers only saw Link the legend, and not Link the man. Even Aron, who was older than Link and started training before Ganon's attack, looked up to him with a sense of hero worship. It bothered Link, as he could never truly work with these people. They needed to come to respect him by his own merits and not by the legends. Of course, this was preferable to the jealously that enraptured some of the already existing knights. They were older, more experienced, and some even stronger than Link, but they were constantly tossed aside and ignored for him. Of course, Link didn't see any of them defeat Ganon, but they must have attributed that little incident to beginner's luck.
A messenger approached Link, informing him that the Queen wanted to see him as soon as possible. After questioning the messenger, Link learned that Roam was also to be at that meeting. Roam was the commander of the Hylian army. He was also undoubtedly the best warrior of them all, as even Link could barely stand up to his strength and experience. But he was also one of those jealous of Link. Perhaps he felt his position threatened. Perhaps he disliked the fact that Link became a knight without training for it, while Roam and the rest worked hard to achieve their status. Or perhaps he was merely guilty at not being able to save Zelda. When Ganon surprised their castle, Roam escaped with a small band of knights after it was clear they had lost. He tried to start a resistance movement, but he could not enter Ganon's lair to save Zelda. While he, the great general of Hyrule, was engaging in minor scuffles with Ganon's henchman, Link was risking his life to save a country he didn't know. That's enough to give anyone an inferiority complex.
Whatever the reason though, it was obvious to anyone that Roam did not particularly enjoy Link's status. Yet he was still tolerable and civil, which made him bearable for Link. Hopefully, this meeting would be bearable as well. But Zelda's unusually solemn face seemed to suggest otherwise. Link kneeled respectfully and took his place across from Roam at the conference table in a small meeting room behind the throne room. Roam also looked solemn, and tried not to look at Link. This wasn't going to be a typical meeting.
I
The sword swung around, aimed squarely at Link's head. Fortunately, he brought up his heavy shield in time, and the blade crashed into it. Link thrust his own blade forward, but his adversary blocked his attack. They grappled for a moment, swords grating against shields, until Link finally pushed him off. They circled each other, testing the other for weakness. Suddenly, Link's foe launched himself towards Link, ready to swing his blade. He feinted to the right, and then thrust his sword to the left, aiming for Link's unprotected chest. But Link was ready for it, and swung his shield around in time. This knocked the man off balance, and Link finished the counterattack by swinging his sword deep into the man's side. With a grunt, he fell to the ground.
Link stood over the other, and offered his hand. The young soldier accepted it, wincing as he stood up. "Sorry if I hurt you, Aron. I should not have attacked so violently."
"No. It was my fault. I left myself too open there. I did not think you would be able to react so quickly. It was stupid of me.... It is just a bruise. I will be alright."
Link nodded solemnly. In truth, he was not sorry. The lad was training to become a knight in Hyrule, where his life would be on the line. He cannot make the same mistakes in a true battle. If injuring himself makes him learn quicker, than it is for the better. "The feint itself was pulled off well, but you made two mistakes. Attack is nothing without a defense. Always insure that you can fend off any counterattacks, and do not attack until it presents itself. Only a desperate man would attack blindly. And never underestimate your opponent."
Aron nodded, embarrassed at the correction. "I know. It will not happen again." His face broke into a slight smile. "I should know better than to underestimate you of all the knights."
Link ignored that last remark. Now he was embarrassed. He was not comfortable with his role as the savior of Hyrule. It all seemed unreal to him. He was a mere 14 years old when he left his home town and decided to travel and see the world. But his first stop, the land of Hyrule, was to be his last. Not long after disembarking, he saved an old woman, who in fact was the princess' nursemaid Impa, from some pig-like beasts called Moblins. She informed him of Hyrule's plight, and the evil Ganon. He accepted the quest she gave him, never dreaming that he would be able to fulfill it. Yet he had recombined the Triforce of Wisdom and destroyed Ganon. A year later, he had started another quest, again at the bidding of Impa. He discovered the Triforce of Courage. Since then, no one else was able to use the Triforce except him. The three pieces could not be separated, and no one understood why. Legends were already springing up throughout the towns about Link, and how he was chosen to wield the Triforce and usher in a new age. Link, hero, knight, bearer of the Triforce, and some suspected future king, did not truly enjoy his standing. There were many fine people in Hyrule, and many heroes. Unfortunately, Link, because of the major role he played in stopping Ganon, was singled out.
The two walked out of the field and closer to the barracks that housed the knights in training. While replacing their blunted swords, Link noticed many of the younger soldiers staring at him. Another aspect of being a hero that Link did not enjoy. These soldiers only saw Link the legend, and not Link the man. Even Aron, who was older than Link and started training before Ganon's attack, looked up to him with a sense of hero worship. It bothered Link, as he could never truly work with these people. They needed to come to respect him by his own merits and not by the legends. Of course, this was preferable to the jealously that enraptured some of the already existing knights. They were older, more experienced, and some even stronger than Link, but they were constantly tossed aside and ignored for him. Of course, Link didn't see any of them defeat Ganon, but they must have attributed that little incident to beginner's luck.
A messenger approached Link, informing him that the Queen wanted to see him as soon as possible. After questioning the messenger, Link learned that Roam was also to be at that meeting. Roam was the commander of the Hylian army. He was also undoubtedly the best warrior of them all, as even Link could barely stand up to his strength and experience. But he was also one of those jealous of Link. Perhaps he felt his position threatened. Perhaps he disliked the fact that Link became a knight without training for it, while Roam and the rest worked hard to achieve their status. Or perhaps he was merely guilty at not being able to save Zelda. When Ganon surprised their castle, Roam escaped with a small band of knights after it was clear they had lost. He tried to start a resistance movement, but he could not enter Ganon's lair to save Zelda. While he, the great general of Hyrule, was engaging in minor scuffles with Ganon's henchman, Link was risking his life to save a country he didn't know. That's enough to give anyone an inferiority complex.
Whatever the reason though, it was obvious to anyone that Roam did not particularly enjoy Link's status. Yet he was still tolerable and civil, which made him bearable for Link. Hopefully, this meeting would be bearable as well. But Zelda's unusually solemn face seemed to suggest otherwise. Link kneeled respectfully and took his place across from Roam at the conference table in a small meeting room behind the throne room. Roam also looked solemn, and tried not to look at Link. This wasn't going to be a typical meeting.