A link to the Heart Chapter 4

The sun was blazing in the perfect blue sky, covering Hyrule Field in a sweltering blanket of heat. Shimmers arose over the hills and broad plains and the buzzing of tiny insects was a constant murmur in the background. Cattle drank deeply of troughs and ponds, trying to ease the heat of the day and farmers worked under broad straw hats in an attempt to keep the sun off their heads. Occasional gusts of wind brought a moment of relief but they were short and infrequent, so all that remained was to endure the soaring temperatures and pray that tomorrow would be cooler.

Link and his companions were riding on horseback down a dusty road. They moved at a slow cantor, not wanting to push their horses in this heat. Link rode with a practised motion while Jortan and Tarren followed on a pale mare and a black horse. The brothers had been accompanying Link for four days, stopping at various inns and taverns along the way. Link's money bag was noticeably lighter than it had been, but he was not concerned. They should reach Lon Lon Ranch tomorrow and then they intended to part ways. To be fair the brothers were good company, always ready with a quip or a story of their heroics. Link suspected these tales were greatly exaggerated but he didn't mind, they were entertaining and he was learning a lot about the remote regions of Hyrule. His own adventures had never seen him stray further south than Lake Hylia and he knew little of the lands beyond.

Jortan was talking as they rode slowly down the road, "So I said to her, but you're twins, you can't blame me for not realising I was kissing the wrong sister!"

Link chuckled, "You did not!"

Tarren chortled, "Oh he did, right to her face."

Link snorted in amusement as he probed, "So… what did she do?"

Tarren laughed, "Let's just say it involved a bucket of pitch and bag full of Cucco feathers and Jortan's not welcome in Hetano village anymore."

Link frowned in bemusement, "They ran you out of town, for that?"

Jortan looked almost proud of his misadventures as he proclaimed, "Well it might have had something to do with the way the mayor's wife was making moon eyes at me."

Tarren scoffed, "Thank the Golden Goddess we're respectable knights, else they'd have done far worse than throw us out."

Link enjoyed their ribald humour but asked, "I've not heard of that town, where is it?

Tarren explained, "In the eastern reaches of Hyrule, you have to go south of Lake Hylia and then back north-east. It's under the rule of Baron Wesser but you don't see him much in the castle, not since he stormed out of court with his tail between his legs!"

Link was confused and enquired, "I don't understand, why was he upset?"

Jortan sniffed, "It's to do with the Lost Woods. The Baron's lands lie beyond the forests and his merchants don't like having to go hundreds of miles out of the way to skirt the edges. Now the forest is open he wanted the King to send us Knights inside to clear out the monsters, so he can run a road straight through the middle."

Tarren elaborated, "Our order told the king it was a bad idea. It's hard enough to corral the monsters back into the forest, let alone go provoking more trouble."

Jortan continued, "Didn't stop the Baron trying though, proclaimed he'd send in his own guard to do the job if we wouldn't."

"He didn't," Link gasped with concern.

Tarren added, "He did, but Princess Zelda put her foot down. Heard she laid down the law, told him there are ancient powers dwelling in the forest and they aren't receptive to visitors. One thing Hylian Knights know is that there are things in this world that need to be fought, and others better left alone."

Link was relieved to hear it, "I was more concerned with the Kokiri, the forest dwellers have enough problems without Hylians blundering about in their woods."

Jortan glanced over and asked, "You know them?"

"I spent some time with them," Link deflected, "They are a peaceful people, they wouldn't know how to withstand sharp swords and heavy axes."

"They might have to learn," Tarren sighed, "World is growing crueller by the day. The old borders don't mean much anymore and respect for those who can't fight back is fading. The Kokiri will have to adapt to a harsher world, or become one more set of crumbling dungeons for adventurers to pick over."

Link was saddened to hear that but he'd seen many failed empires and dead kingdoms on his travels. He'd met the people living in the ruins of civilisations they couldn't even name and fought the revenants and shades left behind to trouble the living. It seemed everywhere he went there was some village plagued by a monster, sallying forth from a dungeon that needed to be fought. He'd always helped them, freeing poor folk from the random horrors of the world. They had always been grateful at first, but each time he'd felt the urge to move on again. Somehow nowhere he went truly felt like home.

Suddenly Tarren called, "Hold up, muster's coming." Link looked down the road and saw they were approaching a small copse of trees at a turn in the road. Around the bend came a column of men, marching to the beat of a drum. At the head strode a man in the uniform of a Hylian knight, with garlands of flowers hanging from a tall pole he carried and small boy at his side beating a drum. Behind him came a hundred men in farm clothes and itinerant labourer's rags. They shuffled along as best they could, heads down and arms at their sides. At the rear of the column marched another two knights, carrying spears bedecked with flowers.

The three horsemen moved off the narrow road to let the column pass and Link watched the men shuffle along as he asked, "What's this?"

"Flowers mark them out as a recruiting party," Tarren explained, "The Knights are the best soldiers of the Kingdom, but we are not great in number. We need some eager lads to form the bulk of the army. This lot will be marching to Hyrule Castle to get equipped and trained."

Link eyed the despondent men shuffling past and commented, "They don't seem very happy."

Tarren grinned wickedly as he replied, "First lesson: recruiters lie. They get the boys riled up with talk of glory and fortune. They speak of mountains of rupees waiting to be picked up after a battle and smart uniforms to make girls swoon and endless rivers of beer for the brave lads. Course, once the boys sign up they find out army life isn't half as nice as the recruiters make out, but by then it's too late."

Link watched the column marching and asked, "You think it will really come to war?"

Tarren scratched his ear and answered, "Looks more likely with every day."

Link realised that Jortan hadn't said anything in a while and was staring into the copse of trees. The knight looked concerned and Link asked, "What is wrong?"

Jortan continued to stare as he replied, "There's an owl watching us."

"An owl?" Link asked as a faint memory stirred.

"Yup, biggest one I've ever seen," Jortan murmured, "Oh… wait it's gone but I swear on the Triforce it was right there."

Link glanced over and saw branches swaying as if something large had just taken off. He slipped his leg over Epona's flank and slid down saying, "Stay here, I'll investigate."

Tarren snorted, "You're worried about an owl?!"

"Indulge me," Link said as he drew his sword and shield, "I won't be long."

He stepped into the shadows and as he advanced overheard Tarren scoffing, "A world full of monsters and he gets worked up over an owl. It's not like they can talk or anything."

Link left them behind as he stepped into the small copse. Under the thin branches it was noticeably cooler and the dimness was cut by shafts of brilliant light. The smells of sap and pine were intense and small twigs cracked under Link's tattered boots as he stepped deeper into the shadows. He kept his sword ready in his left hand and his shield raised as he probed the darkness. He couldn't see anything but he could feel eyes watching him, an instinct honed through countless dangers telling him he wasn't alone.

He paused at the heart of the copse, then he heard it. A faint rustling like feathers being fluffed by an enormous bird fluttering its wings. He spun about only to come up short when he found himself confronted by a man. He was shorter than Link and rotund around the gut. His head was bald but his cheeks bore magnificent sideburns and he had a handlebar moustache, whitened with age. He wore brown and amber robes that disguised his age but his eyes were solemn with ancient wisdom. Oddly his ears were pointed like a Hylian's but far shorter than average, almost as if he hailed from a time before the trait had become so pronounced.

Link lowered his shield but kept his sword drawn as he breathed, "You…"

The man bowed slightly as he said, "Hail Link, Hero of Time, chosen of the Golden Goddesses, the saviour of Hyrule and bearer of the Triforce of Courage."

Link wasn't reassured by the greeting and said, "Rauru, Sage of Light, or do you prefer to be called Kaepora Gaebora?"

The man shrugged, "If you are more comfortable with 'Rauru' then call me that. I am glad to see you, but I note you have kept your sword in hand, do you think I mean you harm?"

Link replied coldly, "I have learned to not trust so easily as I once did. Mysterious Sages popping up out of nowhere usually mean I'm about to be flung into another adventure."

Rauru sighed, "Yes, we have been watching your adventures. You have grown into a remarkable man, in more ways than one. You have lost much of your childish innocence and easy trust, yet in you I still see the heart of a Hero."

"You've been watching?" Link probed, "Then why didn't you help me?"

"You never asked," Rauru bluntly stated, "You had the means at your disposal to call us at a moment's notice. After all you have done for the world, do you doubt you have to do anything but ask?"

Rauru looked almost sad that Link hadn't called and it caused him to reflect. Rauru had been a guide and mentor in Link's first foray into the world. One of the ancient Sages who protected Hyrule from existential perils and cosmic threats. In various guises, the Sage had prompted and steered the young hero along a path towards his destiny. Link had appreciated the help at the time, thinking Rauru a venerable guide of great wisdom and understanding, but over the years of his wanderings he had been given cause to reconsider that opinion.

Link lowered his sword saying, "I am not so sure."

Rauru cocked his head and remarked, "You have grown cynical but what cause have I given you to doubt my intentions?"

Link retorted, "You sent a child on a quest to save Hyrule, but you could have done it yourself. You have power enough to snap your fingers and make everything right. Instead you pushed me about like a pawn."

Rauru's face sank as he whispered, "I think you overestimate my abilities, despite our reputation Sages are not Gods. Even if I could do such things it would not be right that I should. If I used my gifts to impose my will upon the world then I would simply be another Ganondorf, a tyrant forcing others to bow to my whim."

"So you used me instead," Link spat.

"You chose to take up the quest of your own free will," Rauru countered, "I merely helped you to achieve your potential. I could not deprive you of the chance to become the Hero I see before me. I remain proud of what you have done and of the man you have become."

Link drew in a breath and asked, "Was there a reason you came?"

Rauru nodded as he explained, "To deliver a warning. You bear the Triforce of Courage, such an artefact is not easily hidden. For the first time in years the Triforces of Courage and Wisdom are in proximity and that draws unwanted attention."

Link scoffed, "Ganondorf was banished to a twilight realm and the Triforce of Power with him."

Yet Rauru cautioned, "Yet there are ways he can return. Twinrova seeks the ultimate power and will let nothing stop them."

Link snorted, "Those two hags? I beat them once, I can do it again."

Rauru frowned, "In another time, in another life. I caution you to not be overconfident. Your adventures in time had many unintended consequences, many unforeseen repercussions. The shattering of history, the breaking of the Triforce, these were the least of the ripples you made. Events have been rewritten, people changed, you will find Hyrule a very different land than the one you knew… in any time."

Link sighed, "I noticed, nobody remembers me."

Rauru agreed, "It is your unique tragedy. Your own actions erased your feats from memory. You unmade an age of darkness but for the common folk it never happened. There have been many incarnations of the Chosen Hero through the ages, but you are alone in that no one sings of your heroism."

"I'm not interested in fame," Link demurred, "Are you Sages going to stop the war?"

Rauru looked sad as he said, "Even the gods cannot command the hearts of men. If the people choose war then we Sages have no right to strike them down. Even Zelda, the Sage of Time, recognises she cannot blast people with divine might. Though, as Princess of Hyrule, she seeks to steer destiny through subtler means."

Link sighed, "Then it's down to me to stop the evil, as always."

Rauru smiled faintly, "That choice my friend, is entirely up to you."

Link was put back by that declaration. He stepped forward to demand answers but Rauru retreated into the shadows. Link jumped forward but where the Sage of Light had been was only emptiness and disturbed ground. He looked about in confusion but saw nothing. Then he heard the rustling of faint wings as something flew from the treetops and soared away. Resignedly he sheathed his sword and turned back to his companions. With a weary heart he withdrew, feeling the eye of destiny searching for him and knowing that once again he would have to answer the call.