Disclaimer: Zelda is not mine, nor any of the characters.

Chapter 2: The Birthday

Fifteen Years latter

"Link….. Link…….."

"Yes my queen…."

"Its time…You must…"

"What, my queen…?"

"You must… Get up to muck out the stalls…"

"Wha…"

Suddenly the world shook violently as he came to. He looked over and saw his mother shaking his shoulder.

"I said you need to go and clean the stalls, get to it, its already eleven." His mother said in an even voice.

"Yes mom" Link said, shaking his head.

"Oh, and son" She said, turning back "feel free to continue calling me queen, I do enjoy it"

"Yea, whatever" he said, hiding a sheepish smile.

"Try not to get to dirty, your party is tonight and I don't want you getting dirty."

"Oh, right" he said. He had forgotten that today was his birthday. Birthdays where not a big thing in his family. They had little money to spend on gifts and no other family. They hardly had enough money to sustain the family inn.

He walked down stairs, where he encountered his father. A former knight in the army that usurped Hyrule from the oppressors, their true name lost years ago. Link's father was a large man, strong still from his days as a knight. He had built the inn by himself and had gotten many customers in its early days. Back then, their main customers where his army buddies and local refugees. Nowadays, his buddies and the refugees where ether dead or moved away. The only people that came to the inn where people visiting the castle.

Link admired the castle as he walked to the barn. A large castle by all means. The tops of spires and turrets visible from the forest. He longed to live in those spires, to walk the battlements, to guard the princes…

He had only seen her once, when the carriage had stopped at the inn for supplies. Her beautiful eyes holding his gaze seemingly forever. Her beautiful pale skin, soft and cool to the touch. She was hurried away by the royal guard, and was givin a strange glance by a mage, and then she was gone.

As he re-entered the inn few hours later, his chore completed. He noticed a carriage pulling up the road. It was small and shabby, built with a strange wood. The driver was a woman, scantily clad in the dress of a desert dweller, a rare for the area. He quickly ran into the inn to warn his parents, then ran outside to take care of the horses. As the carriage pulled to a halt, the door flew open and a boy stepped out. He was older than Link, by at least five years. He was taller to, and wore armor of desert make. His face was tanned, his hair was fire red. He wore a gem in his forehead, its red tint caught the sun and held it. The tall youth ignored Link as he walked past. Two women walked by him and one handed him the instructions for caring for the horses. He settled the large animals in for the night and returned inside. The tall boy was paying the bill as the older women where chatting at the table. As the older youth went to sit down, Link's mother took Link aside.

"Link, do you know who that is?" She said excitedly.

"No, who?"

"That is Gannondorf, the warrior from the south." She said excitedly.

Link turned and looked at his mother with surprise. "Why would he be up here?" he said surprised. Gannondorf Dragonmyre was one of the most accomplished swordsmen in Hyrule, for his age at least.

"He is up here for a royal tournament. They are having no-kill youth rounds. You should join."

"Me, fight…" he pointed to Gannondorf. "HIM. He would kill me".

"Now don't be so sure, You are good, you helped your father fight the Moblins when they attracted." Which was true enough. "And your father taught you most everything he knows." Then she added, off handedly. "You wont get any better if you don't get any experience."

"Fine, if it would make you feel better, I will enter." He said, in his heart knowing she was right.

"Good, because I already told the boy you are, you are riding with them tonight, they only stopped for dinner."

"What about my…."

"Birthday?" She finished. She turned from him and retrieved a sack and handed it to him. "Open it."

He opened the sack, and retrieved what was inside. A long sword, matching scabbard and shield.

"They used to be your grandfather's, before he was killed in the war. Now go and get ready, they are leaving after dinner. And take a dress outfit, he said there would be a formal dinner tomorrow."

Link rushed up the stairs, to his room and began to pack. He had a simple wardrobe, even for battle. A leather shirt and shorts made of similar material, then a white shirt, white tights, green tunic, and a green hat. Putting these on, and placing a few of these outfits in his bag, along with a black dress outfit. On impulse he grabbed a small flute, an Ocarina, and placed it in his shirt pocket. Placing these in a sack, and strapping his sword and shield to his back, he walked down stairs. His parents where waiting for him at the bottom.

His mother, unable to speak at the sight of her boy, simply hugged him tightly. His father, always slightly more detached from his feelings, gave his son a handshake and a hearty "Good luck". He exited the inn alone, his parents had readied the carriage for him, and everyone was ready. As he stepped in, he wondered if he would ever see the inn, the Windfall Inn, ever again.