Castle Town had been Hyrule's quaint, bustling capital for generations. It had long ago surpassed the size of a town and become a fully-fledged city. In terms of size and population, it had grown slowly but steadily like a mighty oak tree. It was crowded, but sturdy and sustaining.

Ever since the Unification War, however, the sudden influx of refugees and newly parentless children had caused a problem. Accommodation had been the biggest concern, rapidly fixed with the addition of the West Quarter. The orphanages, however, had simply stretched their resources to the limit to house the increase in children whose parents had perished in the war.

All of Castle Town's dozen or so homes for children were owned by noble families. It wasn't a terribly lucrative business; most had been bought by kind-hearted nobles wishing to aid the less fortunate, and kept in the family through inheritance.

There was no doubt that the current holder of the Palardine family fortune had no interest in his orphanage. Money was automatically sent every month, yet the budget hadn't been increased since before the war. As it was, the Palardine Home for Orphans was badly in need of funds and in even worse need of staff—their numbers had become unmanageable.

The most unmanageable of their occupants happened to be a young boy, age thirteen, with jet black hair and crystal blue eyes. Like many others, his parents had died in the war, and he'd been one of many dropped on the doorstep of the Palardine family orphanage.

Dark lay on top of the peaked roof of the orphanage. His favourite spot. Both for avoiding detection and for the pleasant view it offered of the bustling and bright capital. It was mid-spring, which meant the showers had started. The shingles were a tad damp, but he could care less. He blew an irritating lock of dark hair out of his eyes, watching the progress of passers-by as they moved through the streets below his dangling feet.

"Dark!"

He started. The shrill voice of the orphanage's headmistress, Mrs. Crowe, never failed to leave his eardrums ringing.

"Where are you?" she screeched irritably. "Dark!"

The boy resolutely ignored her. Knowing if he stayed out of sight until dinnertime, she would save her punishment until after the meal. Not that he deserved to be punished. Once again, Mrs. Crowe found it easier to make him the home's scapegoat than actually dispense justice and seek out the real perpetrator.

Still, he found it difficult not to antagonize her. Leaning close to the edge of the roof, he slid on his belly until he could see her bony fingers readjusting her tight gray bun. Her back was to him—perfect. With a grin, he raised a hand to his mouth. He let out a series of shrill birdcalls, making sure they reached her directly.

Mrs. Crowe let out a yelp of fear. She hated birds. Dark's barely suppressed laughter followed in her wake as the headmistress darted back inside in fear.

"She won't bother me now," he muttered to himself.

~oOo~

Walking back to the Kokiri village after their spring storytelling festival, Saria and Link stopped next to the pond. The Kokiri girl kneeled gracefully to scoop a quick sip of the tasty spring water. Link was looking off into the distance, his mind elsewhere. Saria wondered what could be troubling her friend.

"Everything okay, Link?" she asked tentatively. He could be hesitant when talking about his feelings.

His head jerked in her direction, as if she'd drawn him from a deep thought. "Hm? No, not at all."

Despite his denial, Saria deduced the reason behind his behaviour. "This is about your fairy, isn't it?"

The expression on his face confirmed her guess. During the Kokiris' spring celebration, it was customary for new Kokiri to receive their fairy guardian, as well as the traditional storytelling. This year, the Deku Tree had decided to honour the youngest Know-It-All brother with his fairy companion. It had pained her to see the bitter disappointment on Link's face, and then the loneliness when the other Kokiri had rushed to congratulate the other boy on his achievement.

Saria placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. "Your time will come, Link. I promise." She tried to say the words with sincerity, but deep down she worried about how many more years would pass before the promise was kept.

The others had begun to talk about Link's peculiar situation. At ten years of age, it was long past the time he should have been gifted with a fairy. It was concerning, to be sure. But what worried Saria more was the reality that within a few years Link would no longer be a child.

As a Hylian, he was destined to age to adulthood, rather than enjoy an endless childhood, as she did. She had hoped for many years that the powerful magic of the ancient forest would change him from a Hylian to a Kokiri, or that the Deku Tree would see fit to grant him a fairy guardian.

She dreaded the idea of admitting to Link that the reason he didn't have a fairy might be because he was not a true Kokiri, as he feared. She dreaded even more the idea that Link might be forced to the leave the forest.

"I know," he said, not sounding very confident in his hope.

Saria opened her mouth to offer more positive encouragement, but a mocking voice cut across their conversation.

"Hey! Mr. No-fairy!"

Link frowned, turning to face the self-named boss of the Kokiri children. "Mido," he growled at the other boy.

"Leave us alone, Mido," Saria insisted, shooting him a scathing look. Now was not the time for Mido's antics.

Mido ignored her, circling around Link. "Still no fairy this year, huh? I knew you weren't a real Kokiri." Mido's mocking chuckle was echoed by his cronies.

"I am a real Kokiri!" Link insisted.

"Then why don't you have a fairy? Why do none of us feel like you belong here?" Mido taunted, freckles crinkling on his boyish cheeks as he grinned nastily.

"He does belong here," Saria replied, jumping to her friend's aid. "The Great Deku Tree wouldn't let him stay here if he didn't."

Mido rolled his eyes theatrically, crossing thin arms across his chest. "I don't care what the Deku Tree says." He leaned down into Link's face. "You'll never be one of us."

Without thinking, Link pounced. He knocked the larger boy to the ground, much to his opponent's surprise. Wrestling for the upper hand, Mido's buddies began to jeer in support of their boss. Several other Kokiri noticed the commotion and came to watch.

Saria rolled her eyes, leaning down to forcibly separate the two. She may not be as big and tough as Mido, but she was the oldest Kokiri child, and the others trusted her.

"That's enough!" she scolded, pulling Mido by the collar.

"Lemme go!" he protested.

"Not until you both behave!"

Disgruntled, Link brushed himself off and sent Mido one last dirty look before stomping off towards his treehouse. Struggling to free himself from Saria, Mido called after him, "Wish all you want, Mr. No-fairy! But you're not one of us. You're just a freak!"

The words stung, but Link refused to turn around. He quickened his pace to a run, not stopping until he reached the base of his treehouse.

When Saria arrived a few minutes later, she kindly kept silent, choosing instead to sit beside him and watch him carve yet another image into the trunk of the treehouse.

"Do you think I'll ever get a fairy?" he asked eventually.

"Of course!" his friend replied optimistically.

"You can't know that for sure," Link pointed out.

Saria sighed. "Maybe not, but I know I can give you something Mido doesn't have."

Curious, Link watched her reach for the bundle she'd brought with her. It was a funny shape; obviously she'd wrapped some object within the cloth. She wrestled it free, presenting Link with a misshapen slab of wood.

He looked up at her. "A piece of wood?" he asked skeptically.

She laughed, turning it over. It was roughly carved wooden shield, emblazoned with the Kokiri symbol, painted red. Link's smile returned.

"A shield!? Thank you, Saria!"

The Kokiri girl shrugged. "I figured it might be useful. I have something else as well…I've been keeping it for a while."

Excited now, Link accepted her next gift with eyes closed. Something cool, smooth and metal was placed in his palms. His eyes opened and he laid his eyes on the child-sized sword Saria had presented him.

Link leaped up, wielding the child's weapon with glee. "I love it! Where did you find it?"

Saria giggled. "Mido won't be able to make fun of you now. Oh, I found it a long time ago in the forest…someone on the outside must have forgotten it there." She shrugged, unconcerned about the sword's origins.

Link masked his disappointment. He'd been hoping she would tell him more about those outside the forest. He smiled at her. "Thank you," he said again.

Saria looked on as Link took up sword and shield, practicing some basic techniques in front of the treehouse. It pleased her that she could help her friend, but she also felt a sense of foreboding.

Her eyes rose to the tops of the trees surrounding their home. The skies had been darker lately, the winds colder. Something outside the forest was disturbing the land. She shivered involuntarily. Her gaze returned to her friend, who had miss stepped and tumbled to the dirt. She smiled but couldn't quite manage her usual laugh.

Something was coming. And it would change everything.