The Downfall Timeline
Book 1
Chapter 9: A New Life

September 12, 609 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 58

Lake Hylia, South Central Hyrule

The carefree days of childhood had long since vanished for both Princess Zelda and Link. With the deaths of the reigning monarchs and most of the officer corps; all now turned to the remaining member of Hyrule's royal family and her minister-attendant for leadership.

Link's daily life was quickly filled with lessons from his master, guard duty, and army chores – which he hated the most. Fortunately, his new position allowed him to escape the damp, stale air of the temple as he was now quartered in a small tent outside – next to Alfon's.

Most of the soldiers that had gathered at the lake either took the little hero's presence as a bad omen - drafting children into the army was a sign of desperation - or as some kind of pitiful joke. But their commander would not tolerate the gloom.

"He is my squire and a knight in training! Leave it at that!" he would snap if he heard them whispering about the boy.

Every morning, before dawn, Link was expected to prepare his master's breakfast and wake him when it was ready. While he ate, the squire would shine his lord's armor, sharpen his sword, or ready his horse if he were planning to ride.

Unfortunately, his master was disappointed to learn that his new ward had little to no experience with Hylian cooking. The Kokiri flourished on simple foods that could easily be gathered in the forest: nuts, berries, and apples. Link's first apprenticeship was to work beside the camp's cook for several days to learn what he could about the 'proper fare' that a knight deserved.

Thankfully, the boy was a quick and eager student. After only a handful of attempts, he managed to create a passable meal for his master. Afterward, he continued to assist the cook frequently as a part of his regular 'chores.'

The cook, a portly, older Hylian named Gamji, was very pleased to have the boy's help and made good use of it. From the moment Link arrived in the tent until he departed well after dark, he would furiously peel potatoes, chop vegetables, fetch and boil large pots of water, and carefully portion out meat according to his instructions.

Though the work moved at a very intense pace, the chef was very kind and encouraging to the young soldier and often waved him over to teach him some small secret that was essential to preparing the dish.

"A good meal prepares for a good day!" Gamji explained, "But an exquisite meal, can save even a condemned man! Remember this when you cook for your master!" he finished with a wink.

On other days, Link might be sent to the blacksmith's forge, the tanner's tent, or to the stables. In the beginning, he didn't mind the work - the squire was willing to do whatever the knight asked as long as it brought him closer to fighting Ganon.

As several weeks of monotonous work passed, however, he started to become restless.

"When do we fight?" he asked his master.

"When you are ready." Alfon replied, not looking up from his meal.

"Will we kill Ganon by shining our armor?" Link pressed, frustrated, as he polished the knight's breastplate on the floor of the tent.

Alfon threw him a glare of warning, "To be a proper soldier, you must know how to care for your gear – a rusted breastplate is far weaker than one that has been kept clean and whole! A dull sword will kill its own master long before its enemies. Now, stop complaining and work!"

The boy did his best to trust his mentor and for several more days he devoted himself to his work assignments without question, but the frustration kept returning.

After sunrise, the new marshal would normally inspect the camp and oversee the morning muster of the soldiers. Link would follow him, and act as his scribe; noting the condition of the camp, the soldier's equipment (if they had any), and the fitness of the soldiers themselves.

The commander would then order the different companies to different tasks for the day: guard duty, foraging, patrol near-to and far from the lake, and several others. Next, he would either ride out with the patrols to check the situation at the front or meet with Princess Zelda and Impa. The squire was not allowed to attend either of these, and would be sent to work in the camp.

By late evening, once the Link had been dismissed from his assignment, he would prepare Alfon's dinner and talk with him while he ate. Most of these talks involved different lectures on knighthood and soldiery: ethics, conduct while at court, military organization, how to bandage various wounds, etc. But sometimes, the lord would be too tired to lecture and would ask his ward about himself instead.

The young hero described his adventures first, hoping to impress the knight. Perhaps he would be allowed to go to combat if Alfon knew how strong he really was. His master was entertained by the stories, but Link was unable to tell if he believed him or not.

"It sounds like you have gained some experience fighting beasts..." the knight mused, "I suppose that puts you ahead of most squires." He finished with a smile.

Alfon revealed to Link that he had been born and raised as a soldier in Hyrule. He came from a family of lesser nobles who always answered the King's Call when war threatened the realm – something he was immensely proud of it. He had been a squire himself at the start of the Hyrulean Civil War, 13 years prior, and became a knight near its end.

The boy would press his master for stories of his career, but Alfon was careful not to describe too much bloodshed. He was starting to like his new companion, and hoped that it might be possible to end the war without it harming him too much.

Eventually, Link told Alfon of the Kokiri forest and the Great Deku Tree. The knight was fascinated that he had actually dwelt within that forest.

"It has long been said that the Kokiri Forest is forbidden to Hylians! That swift death would come to any who entered!" he exclaimed.

His squire thought the legend was silly, "the Great Deku Tree wouldn't hurt anyone... Not any good people at least." He replied.

"Well..." started Alfon with a yawn, "it matters little now... much of the forest was burned in the raid and you said yourself the Deku tree is dead now."

Link begged his master to let him ride with a patrol near the forest, but he would not allow it. Instead, he would be forced to get small bits of information from the other soldiers who had rotated in and out of duty near the lake. Unfortunately, the Hylians never made contact with the Kokiri, and he had no idea if Saria had survived.

Link's new life beside the lake remained this way for many weeks. Unfortunately, despite his hard work, he was seen around the camp as little more than an errand-boy by the other soldiers - carrying baskets of food to the cook's tent or unloading supplies from wagons and stored them where he was instructed to.

Many times, if Alfon was not near, soldiers would try to order the boy to scrape the mud from their boots or wash the blood from their clothes. Inside, the young squire was furious at these men for how they treated him. He had saved the Gorons from starvation and rescued Princess Ruto from the belly of Lord Jabu-Jabu! But, even with these accomplishments, he still felt the stinging shame of his failure in the temple. He was convinced that he had been the cause of Hyrule's misery and that he had no right to correct the soldiers around him.

Captain Corin, however, felt very differently.

One morning, after Alfon had left to patrol the plains north of the lake, Link was unloading a supply wagon when two soldiers approached him.

"You there, boy!" one called gruffly, "stop what you are doing and fetch me some water! I am thirsty."

The soldier's companion snickered to himself as Link turned a disapproving eye to them.

"I am Marshal Alfon's Squire... go fetch your own water!" he spat as he returned to his work.

"Oh, he's a squire-boy then!" One soldier said to the other, "Well where's your sword little squire! Can't go protecting your Lord without a-" but just at that moment, Captain Corin - the militia captain who had been the first to arrive at the lake - came upon the scene.

"You there!" he shouted at the two soldiers, "get back to your patrols and leave the Marshal's ward alone! If I see either of you bothering the squire again, I'll have you in the stocks! Understood?!"

The two men quickly snapped to attention, shouted "Yes, Captain!" and hurried back to their patrol route.

When they had passed out of sight, Corin looked down at Link, "Why do you let them do that to you lad? I've been watching you for several days now. If you're going to serve in the King's Army, you need to be made of sterner stuff than that!"

The boy set down the basket he was carrying, and looked up at the captain. His expression was serious, but there was a soft kindness in his eyes. He wasn't berating the squire; he was looking out for him.

"All they see is a boy in a costume," Link began, plucking at the mail shirt hanging from his shoulders, "if they only ever see me polish armor or unload wagons, then that is all I will ever be to them. I can't earn their respect by shouting."

The captain straightened up and raised his eyebrows, "You're a sharp one lad!" he replied, "But I hear that there is more to you than meets the eye!"

A small feeling of dread came over Link as the captain said this. He feared that word of the events at the capitol had gotten out. He would be the laughing stock of the lake: the boy who drew the Master Sword and immediately failed to use it.

"I-I don't know what you mean." he stammered, evasively.

"Oh, come now lad! The Zora told us all about it! You fought some fearsome beast that was laying siege to Zora's Domain from the mountain streams beyond! Take some pride boy! Most of these men have never even had to run a wolf off of their farms!"

The old veteran was smiling broadly now; wearing a look of pride as he spoke to the new recruit. At first, Link was relieved, then a little embarrassed at the story.

"It wasn't so bad..." he began, "I just... did what I had to."

Corin slapped Link on the arm, "Good Lad!" he shouted, "Come on, let's find you a sword!"

"I had a sword when Lord Alfon brought me here!" he answered quickly, "It was the sword of my people... I think Lady Impa has it."

So, the two marched off to the temple and requested an audience with the Minister. The young soldier was commanded to wait in the passage, but the captain was directed in to the Princess' throne room. For a brief moment, Link caught Zelda's bright blue eye glancing out at him, just as the door closed.

After several earnest pleas, Corin managed to retrieve Link's pack and sword from Impa - who had held them since the night Alfon brought him in - and granted him leave to wear it about the lake.

"Why is my pack empty?!" Link asked, dejected, when Corin returned.

"Funny you should mention that lad; the lady knew you would ask about it. She commanded me to tell you that 'All your pack contained, will be returned to you at the proper time', whatever that means."

Now, when the squire traveled around the lake, the soldiers and camp workers stared curiously at the small sword he now carried across his back. As promised by his new friend, from that moment on the other soldiers left the boy alone.

During the nights, he would lie awake; listening to the sounds of the camp. The wind rustling over the tents, the splash of the water at the lake's edge, and the faint tramp of the guard's boots on patrol could all be clearly heard.

Sometimes, after a company had returned from a long posting at the front; music and cheering would echo out from one of the new buildings added to the growing "Lake Town."

Telma's Tavern was built out of an abandoned cottage near the lakeside. The princess, Impa, and the Zora all objected, but Corin & Alfon had insisted that such a place would allow the troops to relax and restore their morale. Telma herself, had been an Innkeeper and bar matron in Castle Town. She and her staff were away on a supply run during the Gerudo attack.

As the marshal predicted, her new tavern quickly became a place that every soldier visited when he was not on duty. Even the great commander himself would venture there - when he had the time - to be with his men and to see Telma.

In the beginning, Link was directed to wait for his master outside. But before long, the squire would sneak in and find the knight and his men drinking and laughing together. When Alfon finally caught him, he began to shout and order the boy back outside. But Telma swiftly intervened, gracefully swooping across the tavern and scooping Link up in her arms. The matron set him onto a tall stool at her bar.

"Oh Alfon, don't be cruel!" she mused as she brushed the little squire's cheeks with her soft hands, "Look at him! He's adorable!"

She was tall for a Hylian woman, with tanned skin and reddish-brown hair. She enjoyed wearing fashionable dresses and exotic make-ups – both of which complimented her voluptuous curves well. Her appearance - as well as her persona - had been carefully crafted to charm and attract the widest array of customers to her tavern. She always referred to each of her patrons "honey" or "darling", while speaking in a warm, amorous manner.

Despite the flirtatious charm, she let no man touch her freely – save for the respectful kiss upon her hand. Telma possessed a terrifying temper and remarkable strength. Whether one failed to pay for his ale or started some trouble with her staff, the beautiful (and fearsome) matron was more than capable of lifting an armored soldier out of his seat and throwing him in the cold night outside.

Turning a fierce eye upon Lord Alfon she would then shout, "Your damned men are going to be the death of me!" but he would just smile and calm her with his own charm.

Link also noticed that the great warrior often had a rather powerful twinkle in his eye whenever Telma was near him.

Once the drinks and food had been served to the men and she became certain that her staff could "keep the place", the two would sit at the end of the bar and quietly talk. Sometimes, Alfon would motion her to come close, and whisper something into her ear; throwing the mistress into a fit of giggles and playfully slapping at his arm.

Normally, she wouldn't allow children in her bar after dark, but she was willing to make an exception for Link – or perhaps for Alfon's sake. After providing a small supper and cup of milk for the boy, the squire would be asked to keep an eye on the more excited – or drunk – patrons and make sure that Telma was warned if trouble were brewing.

She didn't pay him, but it was better than watching her and his master stare at and whisper to one another.

Link soon realized that if Telma were happy, then his master would be happy, so he always agreed to help her with whatever she requested. Afterward, she would always smile warmly, lean forward, and kiss his forehead with a loving, "My little soldier."

He always blushed deeply and tried to scrub furiously to remove her lipstick. But the other men in the tavern never laughed at him – the boy was the only one who could get a kiss out of her!