Well, it took a while but I finally got your reply. Unfortunately, it was a different Sheikah scout who made the delivery this time. I am told by her comrade that she died bravely, holding a village with her unit from a pack of bokoblins. We are so detached from the brutalities of conflict here that it becomes easy to forget that every report we receive, every casualty of war we tally, has a very real cost of life attached. A name, a face, a family. A personal history forgotten and a future forsaken, except in the minds of those that knew them.

I'm sorry if my mood today seems dreary. The early enthusiasm of enlistment has long since left me. As I had previously suspected, Zelda's gruelling training regime was in order to prepare me for deployment. I was surprised however, when I was transferred from training with the foot soldiers, and assigned instead to a Sheikah blademaster. Initially I was excited for the change. I don't believe there was much for me to learn from the soldier's regime. The Hylian Master-at-Arms was competent enough, but I think I might have embarrassed him when I disarmed him during a demonstration he was giving on proper grip.

As expected of the Sheikah however, their swordsmanship is on another level. I was not prepared for the level of focus and dedication required to train with them. Unlike sparring with the Hylian recruits, the Sheikah didn't turn their nose up at me because of my age, however they certainly didn't take it easy on me either. After every session I would need to crawl to my bunk; my legs and arms tired, bruised and aching. Apparently Sheikah children even younger than me go through military education like this. No wonder they're such an intense lot!

As it turned out, my suffering was not without reason. Impa came to me a few weeks ago with my marching orders. I've joined up with a unit of Sheikah warriors, conducting covert scouting and tactical operations. I'm actually writing to you now from one of their hidden grottoes. The scouts use them as safe houses and rally points. It's definitely not what I expected. I was more than ready to fight on the front lines, to die for Hyrule if necessary, but if Zelda thinks my talents are better served here, who am I to argue?

I'm already learning so much from the scouts. Did you know, they've managed to maintain an intelligence network using gossip stones, throughout Hyrule and even beyond since the time of the Civil War? Even after so many Sheikah were lost in the conflict, the scouts remained active, reporting directly to the King. Their loyalty is truly remarkable. And yet their existence is a secret to almost everyone! All this sneaking about is taking some getting used to for me though. It almost makes me long for the time when I could face my enemies head on, without worrying about things like formations or squad-mates. It seemed simpler, despite the adversity. Though it has been nice having people I can rely on watching my back.

I hope my melancholy tone doesn't deter you from continuing our correspondence. It's been one of the rare highlights of these last few months, managing to lift my dark mood, even if just for a moment. I'll be counting the moments until your next letter.

Link lay in his bed, listening to the sound of birds warbling outside his window. In the summer, when he had first moved into the highest room in Odo's home, the noise the birds made in the early hours, from their nests in the branches above the house had grown tiresome. On occasion, when the chirping had woken him up, and he couldn't get back to sleep, he would throw the wooden shutters of his window open with a bang, sending the birds flitting away, cheeping in alarm. Though he was used to living in a tree, there had been no chattering creatures to disturb his dreams in Kokiri forest. Today though, he was glad of their company. The performances had become rare once the snows arrived, and without realising it he had begun to miss them.

There was another reason he was grateful for the birdsong. He had been awake several hours already, his night disturbed by terrifying visions, and the melodies helped soothe his jangling nerves. Link didn't always have such dark dreams, but the worst ones had a nasty habit of coming to pass. In the nightmares that had plagued him of late, Ganondorf stood tall over the rubbled remains of a broken Hyrule castle. He held a golden crown in his fist raised triumphantly in the hazy air. Castle town was a smouldering pile of wreckage. The drawbridge and gatehouse were smashed beyond recognition. Bodies littered the ruins, lying limp as their life blood trickled through the cobbled streets and pooled in the gutters. Link watched, his eyes frozen wide, no choice but to witness the horrors before him. A silent scream caught in his throat. Ganondorf met his reluctant gaze, and bared his teeth. He tightened his grip, and the crown of Hyrule shattered into a dozen shimmering pieces. Then Link would awaken, drenched in sweat; a cruel laugh still echoing in his head.

Ganondorf, though he hadn't known him at the time, had been a regular feature of his dreams since before he had ever imagined leaving Kokiri forest. Before he knew of ancient relics, magic swords or holy princesses. Before destiny had claimed him. But this dream was different to the ones that had come before.

What was it I saw? Is this what happened to Hyrule Castle when Ganondorf entered the Sacred Realm, and stole the Triforce of Power? Or worse, is this what's happening right now? If he's managed to open the door of time, then that would mean… Link shook his head slightly, to derail that train of thought. More than ever, he wished he could talk with Princess Zelda. To hear her voice and know that she was okay. Concern gnawed at his heart.

What of the keepers of the Spiritual stones? They too were people he cared for. Darunia, Ruto - and Saria, with whom he'd left the Kokiri Emerald when he had journeyed into the Lost Woods. What had become of them? For the first time since he had set out on his big adventure, what felt like a lifetime ago, Link longed for the days of playing in the forest with his childhood friend. Everything was so simple and safe.

To Link the most chilling image from his dream wasn't the King of Evil himself, but the image of the burnt-out shell of Castle Town, with its citizens lining the streets. In the future - the world he came from before Zelda sent him to this timeline - the ruins of the once bustling town, then only populated by shambling re-deads, filled him with regret; a painful reminder of his failures. It was because of me that Ganondorf obtained the Triforce, and razed the castle and its town. If I have allowed this tragedy to come to pass a second time…

Link sat up. He couldn't stand to dwell on these thoughts any longer. It served no purpose except to bring him more sorrow. A walk should clear my head. He got out of bed and dressed quickly. His green tunic had served him well, but was entirely unsuited to the snowy weather, exposed as it was at the legs. Thankfully, one of Odo's daughters was a talented seamstress, and she had gifted him a set of winter clothes she had made that her own son had outgrown. There was a pair of sturdy, leather boots, some woolen britches and a thick parka with soft, white goat fur lining the hood. She had even taken the trouble to dye the coat green. Link was grateful for the new outfit. His tunic had begun to feel too small for him.

After wrapping up, Link tiptoed down the creaky staircase, eager to not waken the other occupants of the house. He took extra care outside the room shared by Raffy and Cassa. There'd be no chance of sneaking out quietly if they were roused. Odo's grandchildren's stay in the house had been extended, after their mother - Risa - had been forced into selling their own farmhouse in the countryside earlier that year. She occupied the other bedroom on that floor, and Link heard the sound of her soft breathing as he shuffled past her door and continued on. Before he was even halfway down the stairs to the bottom floor, he was hit with the sonorous booming of Odo's snores, so powerful that he could swear he felt the ground tremble. Not much need for stealth here, he thought. He slipped down and out the front door and into the biting late-autumn air.

The little village had been transformed by a recent cold snap. Odo said this was the earliest Ordon had seen snow in living memory. The whole town was iced with a layer of it, and the little brook at its heart had frozen solid. Though the sky was clear now, the crispness of the snow under Link's feet, and the lack of footprints told him that it must have snowed again through the night. The sun hadn't yet peeked above the treetops, but the first orange rays had started to pierce the heavy, purple sky, and the frosted scenery caught the light making it glimmer as if ablaze. Link shivered without even feeling the cold, reminded of the burning town from his dream. He pulled his hood up against the icy wind, and started to walk, with no destination in mind.

He had already explored every inch within the boundaries of the village, but seeing it coated in its wintery blanket made everything appear different and new. He let his footsteps guide him wherever they may. Crunch crunch crunch. Link walked through the village centre, where in warmer times a market was held. In the summer, even in these wee hours, farmers would be leaving their houses to head to their fields and begin their day of chores. But now it lay eerily quiet, every small sound deadened by the snowfall. Link crossed the frozen stream and climbed the small slope that took him up past the village shop, and to the outskirts of town. Before long, though he had not intended it, he found himself on the path to the Fairy Pool. He stopped in his tracks.

I shouldn't go there. I'm already pushing my luck being outside without a guard. If someone saw me…

Still, he had longed to return to the pool. The mysterious voice that he had heard there…it could only belong to the Fairy Queen. The one who knew where Navi was. But could it really be dangerous?

Crunch crunch crunch. Footsteps from behind him. No point in trying to run. The other direction would only lead him straight to the guards at the gate. Link turned warily and saw the tall figure of Chief Boru only a few feet away, striding towards him. His bushy red beard was tinged with frost below his mouth, where his breath had frozen. He wore a thick grey cloak, and over his shoulders was slung a hunting bow and a quiver.

"Umm hello Chief. I barely heard you coming", Link said.

"Walking quietly is a useful skill for a hunter. As is tracking prints", Boru said with a smile, pointing to the trail Link had left in the snow. "I was curious who else might be awake at this time, when the farming seasons have ended. Based on your proclivity for sleeping late I had not expected it to be you."

I…couldn't sleep. I was just out for a walk to clear my head." I might as well be honest with him, Link thought.

"Indeed?" Boru said, raising an eyebrow. He looked down the path Link had been heading to the rebuilt gate protecting the Fairy Pool. "May I ask why you chose this route in particular?"

"I don't know", Link said truthfully. "I wasn't really thinking about it. Something just…drew me here, I guess."

Boru closed his eyes, and whispered something to himself that Link couldn't catch. When he opened them and spoke, Link thought he noticed a note of sorrow in his voice. "Link, I do not often feel inclined to repeat myself, but on this occasion I must. Do not allow yourself to be called back here again. For your own sake."

A blast of gelid air buffeted them, making the chief's cloak billow and snap.

"Now then", he said warmly, dispelling the grim aura, "since you are out with no supervision, I would be within my right to send you back to Odo's. However, perhaps instead, you might like to accompany me on a hunting trip? Our food reserves are a little low this year, and I hear you're a good shot. I would be glad of your company."

"S-sure, okay!"

So Link fell into step beside Boru, and they set off down the trail, passing the turning for the Fairy Pool and straight on to Ordon Bridge. The great chasm that separated Ordon from the outside world yawned before them; a seemingly bottomless pit of inscrutable darkness. Their only buffer between them, and a long fall with a short landing, was the snow covered suspension bridge, which creaked and swayed in the wind. At the far side, the gate guards sat huddled around a fire, drinking from steaming mugs and wrapped in animal firs. They scrambled to their feet and saluted when they saw Boru approach.

"Easy boys, stay by the fire and keep warm. Day shift should be here soon. I'm just headin' into Faron. Hopin' to bag a buck or two", the Chief said.

The guards eyed Link suspiciously - who tried to shrink into the darkness under his hood - but asked no questions of their chief, who offered no explanation in kind. The guards unlocked the heavy gate. It swung open with the screech of frigid metal. Then they were away into the woods beyond. Boru led Link off the pathway, and into the deep gloom of the trees. They wound their way through the undergrowth, twisting and turning in the half light. Boru clearly knew the way, though no trail was visible to Link in the snow, and he saw no distinguishing features in rows and rows of identical trees. A gentle sprinkling of snow had begun to fall from the grey sky, obscuring their way even further, but Boru pressed on undaunted.

After a while, he motioned to Link and crouched down next to a slender sapling. Link came up beside him, and looked where he was pointing. It took him a second to figure out what it was he should be seeing.

"Look, some strips of bark", Boru breathed. "If we look on the trees…there!" He pointed to a silvery tree nearby. "See how some of the bark has been rubbed away?"

Link looked, and the tree was indeed bare in a ring around the trunk, about level with his eyes, exposing the spongy ochre flesh. A droplet of red sap was dripping slowly down the tree. The pure snow underneath was stained with it.

"That's from a buck all right. They rub their antlers on the trees to help shed them. And to mark their territory of course", Boru said.

"If the sap is still fresh… that means it must have been here recently, right?" Link whispered, looking around expectantly.

"You've got some good instincts, Link. Yes I reckon this one was preparing for a mornin' rut. If we're lucky, we might come upon a few at once. That'd do wonders for our winter provisions."

Boru unslung his hunting bow and handed it to him. Link was surprised.

"Huh, but why…?"

"The snow makes tracking difficult. My attention is going to be on the ground, so I need you alert to what's in front of us, and ready to take the shot if needed. Besides, if you can knock a horn from my son's hand, in the dark, at fifty paces, you're a better archer than I by far."

Boru pointed out some hooven tracks in the snow, and the two started moving forward, far more carefully than before, their eyes scanning the surrounding wood.

"Aren't you worried about me having a weapon?" Link asked quietly, not taking his eyes from the murky thickets ahead.

"I'm not concerned. In my eyes you have proven yourself a friend to my people. At the very least to my son and his friends. Rodan speaks very highly of you, you know."

"I like him too. It's been… nice, doing things with the three of them."

"You talk as if you are unaccustomed to playin' with kids your age. Is that why you haven't run away yet?"

"Huh?"

Boru chuckled. "Don't mistake me. It is the will of Ordon that you remain here, so as Chief I must enforce that. But knowin' what I do of your talents, I don't doubt that if you really wished it, a few guards around the village would not stop you findin' your way out. And so I must wonder why it is you remain here?"

"Well…" Link wasn't sure he knew the answer himself. The thought of sneaking away, past the guards and back into Hyrule, had certainly occurred to him but… "In some ways, living with Odo and his family; playing with Rodan and Pip and Geral - it's been some of the most pleasant and peaceful months of my life."

"But?" said Boru, not unkindly. Link sighed.

"But it's another friendship that keeps me here. One I'm not ready to give up on. Not while there's still a chance."

Link turned to the chief, who didn't take his eyes from the prints in the snow. Link could barely make out the tracks, so faded were they, but Boru led them on.

"Chief Boru, why are you so scared of the Fairy Pond? I've been told the Fairy Queen herself lives there. I have known many fairies, and never has one shown the slightest ill-will towards humans. In fact most fairies wish to help those in need. So why do you forbid your people from visiting the pool?"

Boru's eyes still never left the trail.

"Of course, that demon has a hold of you too. I'm not surprised you have questions. Very well, I will tell you why. But mark well my words, so that you might avoid the same fate as my wife."

Link felt a fresh chill make his hairs stand on end, even through his thick jacket.

"Your wife?" Rodan's mother.

"Yes. Her name was Thria. When Rodan was seven, Thria got sick. Very sick. Cyllia gave her maybe a year. We didn't tell Rodan of course, but it became harder and harder to hide the truth from him as her illness progressed. It was… she was so brave, but I knew it was eating away at her. One night, she began hearing a voice calling to her in her dreams. An otherworldly woman's voice. It comforted her and promised to help her if only she would go to the waters of the Fairy Pool."

"And…and she went there?". Link's chest was tight with anticipation. He kept forgetting he was supposed to be watching for deer.

"I warned her against it. Our village has long told stories of a powerful fairy living in that pond, but I was wary. Why would it call to her in her dreams? If it had the magic to heal the sick, why was it only revealing itself now? The war was not long over after all and there were many others who might have been saved by this power. But one day, Thria was playing with Rodan, when a coughing fit took her and she fainted. She was so distraught at allowing Rodan to see her that way, and the worry it was causing him, that I agreed to take her to the pool."

"What happened?" asked Link, scarcely daring to whisper. But Boru had stopped creeping forward and was holding up his hand. Link stopped too, and followed Boru's line of sight through the brush and…

"Do you see it?"

"I see it", Link whispered back, knocking an arrow and raising the bow. The buck was nibbling on some leaves from a low hanging branch not forty yards in front of them. Its head was down, but its ears twitched nervously, searching for danger. Strips of bloody velvet hung from its antlers. Link trained his arrow on the creature's breast, and carefully drew the bowstring back to his ear. Something made the deer raise its head. It looked around, searching for the source.

"Steady, wait for the right moment" Boru murmured. The deer looked directly at them. Link saw the fear in its black eyes. Somehow, its terror was transmitted as their eyes locked and Link's whole body tensed. It's not me its afraid of, he realised too late. He saw the buck spring away into the woods as something roared and thundered out of the undergrowth right next to them. He swung the bow around, but the squealing beast was already on top of them.

"Link! Run! Aaarrghh…"

Link was knocked hard to the ground as Boru - who had stepped between him and the on-rushing creature - was thrown back against him, the weight of his body dragging them both down. From the snowy earth, Link struggled to draw the bow again but got a shot away as the thing ran past them and lodged an arrow in the rump of the great tusked beast. With another ear splitting squeal, the thing continued its canter off into the forest. As the ground stopped shaking, and the sounds of the beast's hooves died away, Link scrambled to Boru where he lay face down.

"Chief! Chief Boru, are you okay?"

Link rolled Boru onto his back. His eyes were open and his lips were moving, but he made no sounds except for his ragged breaths that fogged the air around his mouth. The white snow where he had been laying was stained a deep red.

"Help! Somebody, please! The Chief's been hurt, help!"