Beginnings
Link sat stunned the mayor's words; they wanted him to become a part of their village, they wanted him to stay? He wasn't sure what to think. On one hand it felt like the ultimate betrayal of his people; living amongst those responsible for their deaths. On the other hand it would make it easier on him to watch over the village if he were a part of it. And as much as he didn't want to admit it, it would be nice to be a part of a community again. He desperately missed the daily interactions he had grown up with and the constant loneliness that had settled on his life filled his heart with a sadness and anger that seemed to eat away at his soul. He didn't want to feel that way, didn't want to fall in that dark pit, but was this really the answer? The Mayor did say that he need not decide tonight though, so he would take time and think about it. For now he would tell them the stories they wished to hear.
"My people were not always able to take the form of a wolf," he began in a quiet voice that still carried to all of those listening. "At one time they were just another village of people that made the forest their home. They were not a large village by any means but they were always a tight knit community. They had a tradition in the village that when a man and woman wished to wed before they could be joined together they must prove they were able to work together as a couple. This was done by the couple building the home they would live in together. They would have to draw the plans and gather the materials to make the home, and though they could ask for advice or specialty help the work had to come from them.
There lived in that village a young couple who were very near the completion of their home and would soon be wed. The only thing their home was missing was its front door. They had worked together to carve a door that would suit them both, but tradition dictated that they could not hang the door until after they were married. Then once they walked together into their home as husband and wife they would put up the door.
It was an old tradition that had various meanings depending on who you asked. Some would say it was symbolic of shutting the door on their old lives, others would say it was meant to tell others that this was their home, their private space, away from the eyes of the community. Whatever the reasoning was the young couple would hang their door after they were wed the next day.
On that day they were simply sitting in the forest a ways from the village with the young man's grandfather. As they were finishing their late meal and the sun was getting ready to sink a crashing could be heard coming from the brush. Immediately all three were on alert and standing as a figure burst through the bushes.
She, for it was most definitely a female, was the most beautifully exotic thing any of them had ever laid eyes on. She wore delicate black clothing that extenuated her figure. Her skirt was long, reaching to the ankles of her bare feet, with a slit clear up to her hip. Her top was so formed to her chest it was difficult to tell whether it was her skin or clothing, but as it reached her arms it billowed out almost into a cape like fashion. Her hair was a flaming reddish orange done up in strange fashion and was said to pulsate as if it were a living thing. The most unusual part of her appearance though were her skin and eyes. Her skin was ice blue as if she had just come from the Snow Peak range, yet it was a warm spring day out, and her eyes were a bright red and yellow. Despite all of these oddities everything about her was alluring, even her voice as she spoke to the three.
She said she was in need of a servant to travel with her and defend her. The boy's grandfather stood firm at the head of their small group speaking to the woman with a voice resonate of age and wisdom. He told her none there would be her servant; they would show her the way out of the woods if she would like, but they could not travel with her. The woman smiled menacingly showing off a fanged grin before she replied. She said that she wasn't asking and she had every intention of getting what she'd come for one way or another. The group started as she held her hands overtop the other, palms facing, while forming a red and black ball of energy. The grandfather attempted to shove the younger ones back, but as the woman released the energy towards them the boy jumped in front of his grandfather. The youth hit the ground hard writhing and screaming in pain. Immediately his fiancée dropped to her knees sobbing as his body contorted and twisted with the sounds of bones snapping. The older man once again stepped forward to defend the young couple against the sorceress, but he too was met with a similar ball of light that had sent his grandson to the ground.
The young woman sat sobbing and shaking as she watched both men writhe in obvious pain. Her fear for them and what was happening to them was soon trumped by terror as the strange woman walked towards them. The woman commented that she was surprised as that had not been at all what she was expecting. The young bride-to-be only then noticed the screaming and gut wrenching snapping of bones had stopped. As she looked down she nearly fainted for where her fiancé had been but a moment earlier lay a large black and silver wolf. Looking towards the elderly man she saw he too now looked like a wolf, only his coat was white and gold.
The exotic woman commented that she would be taking the black wolf with her as he was younger and far stronger. The young woman cried begging her not to, to just change them back and leave them be. She tried reasoning with the woman telling her how the young man and her were in love and were to be married tomorrow. She also told her that the village would be defenseless without the two as her fiancé was the best swordsman in their small community, and how the grandfather taught all those who wished to learn the ways of the sword. Her pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears though as the woman used her magic to put a shackle around the leg of the darker wolf. As she finished her work the sorceress turned her eyes on the young girl for the first time. She spoke no more only letting out a bell like giggle before more red and black magic flew from her encompassing both her and the dark wolf. Within seconds the two disappeared into dark flakes that flew upwards into the sky, leaving the young maiden and the boy's now wolfish grandfather in the clearing.
Years passed in which nothing was ever heard or seen again of the blue woman or the boy she had taken. The girl and the grandfather had solemnly returned to the village, with the people only able to believe their tale because the white wolf spoke as the grandfather had. The village suffered the loss of the boy at first since few were good enough to step into his place. The young maiden was wooed by several of the other young men in the village, but she accepted none of their advances. Her love was out there, she knew it, and one day he would find a way to return to her so she would wait as long as it took. The grandfather still taught the way of the sword as he had before, but he always felt the loss of his true body. He also desperately wished to see his grandson one more time in his life, as the young man was his only surviving relative.
In truth the boy was still very much alive and still a servant of the woman, he had learned her name was Midna. Her realm was in the middle of civil war and she had come seeking a way to tip the balance in her favor. The boy was forced to fight for her and defend her from all those who tried to dethrone her, for she was known as the Twilight Princess. She was one of the most formidable of her kind and with a tethered beast by her side the opposition had been quickly crushed. Time passed and she became the Queen of her Kingdom, but still she did not allow him to return home; keeping him near her as a warning to others. As time passed the boy grew more despondent, longing to see his loved ones again, but sure they had forgotten him by now. He wasn't even sure of how long he had been forced into this life of servitude as time passed very differently here than in his home world.
Midna watched as with each passing day as her wolf boy grew more and more depressed. He barely ate or slept; her magic being the only thing that kept him strong. The pride and fire in his eyes grew dimmer as time waned on, as did her resolve at keeping him. The shackle she had forced on him that day made it impossible for him to speak with anyone else but her, to everyone around him he only sounded as any other canine would. Her curiosity and anger got the better of her one day and so she sought out her wolf who was lying on the very edge of a balcony, so close it would take nary a breeze to push him off. Her anger flared more, how dare he take such chances with his life, and so she berated him. She asked him why he acted the way he did for he had everything. A warm and comfortable home, work to keep him occupied, a soft bed to sleep, the finest foods, and the raw power of his bestial form. Was all of this not enough for him? The wolf boy looked up at her with hollow eyes and told that no it wasn't enough and there was nothing she could ever give him that would be enough.
He told her that the things she listed were nothing but material things and mattered little to him. She had taken him from the only things that had ever truly mattered and the only things he ever wanted. He had never been a man to covet wealth and comforts for he felt he was far richer surrounded by his loved ones and family. She had taken him from his village, people he loved and cared about as if they were family and who relied on him to help sustain them. She had taken him from his grandfather, who would surely die wondering what had ever happened to his grandson. She had taken him from his love, a woman who was steadfast and strong, who deserved to live a happy life with the person she loved. She had taken him from everything and hadn't even given him a chance at goodbye.
Midna became angered, as she asked how those things and worthless humans could amount to more than she had given him. He replied that it was not something he could explain to her; it was something she had to feel to understand. However, he very much doubted that she would ever understand for she cared for no one. In the years he had been forced into this life of servitude he had watched her closely. She was a good ruler, but still she ruled with logic forgoing passion and emotion. There was no compassion for her people when they suffered or fell on hard times. He told her he doubted she was capable of feeling anything for anyone and as such her life would be empty and pitiful.
Midna became even far more enraged, she felt there was nothing she wasn't capable of. In her anger she used her magic to bind his shackle to a chain in the dungeons, imprisoning him. The boy did not complain, only laid there in apathy lost in the sweet memories of his past. However, while his mind was only saddened by this conversation the sorceress' was tortured. Now each day as she looked out she could see her people and now, thanks to the wolf, she saw things her eyes had never before took notice of. The people laughed together, conversed, held each other, shared joys and sorrows; loved. She had been blind to it all this time and some part of her wished to again block out this new sight as she had before, but she could not. Even worse was the yearning she felt to be a part of that world, but she knew not how.
Finally unable to stand it anymore she visited her captive wolf. She decided she would make a deal with him, if he showed her how to interact with her people she would take him back to his so he may visit them. The wolf boy agreed to it quickly thinking he could at least see them one more time in his life, since Midna never promised his freedom. And so he helped her to interact with her people; able to easily guide her as she was the only one who could hear him. It did not take long before a change was seen in both the Queen and her people. She grew to understand and care for them in a way she had never known before. Her heart grew with warmth and gradual understanding of feelings that had long since been neglected. It was then that she realized the true magnitude of all that she had taken the wolf boy from, and her guilt was nearly unbearable.
One day she took her wolf on a walk with her only telling him she wished to take in the scenery. When they were a ways away from her palace she spread her magic over him and before he could yelp in surprise they dissolved into the black particles that had brought them there. When the wolf boy felt himself become solid again he found much to his surprise he was back in the clearing where Midna had stolen him from so long ago. She too stood there and it was only then that he realized he did not have to look nearly so far up to see her. In shock he gazed at his own human body for the first time in years, hands going to feel the contours of his face and chest. The only differences her found were his broader more defined features, for he had long since passed the years of boyhood, and his ears were no longer short rounded but long and pointed.
Midna explained to him that the curse she had put upon him could no longer be completely lifted as it had had years to set in. Because of this she could only alter it slightly so now he would be able to change from a man to a wolf at will, but he would never be fully a wolf or human. Each form would always hold some traits of the other. She explained that she would give him one day to decide what he wanted to do. If he wanted to continue to stay as her servant he only need to return to this clearing by the Twilight hour. If he wished to remain with his village he would be free to do so. However, because of the power of her curse and the amount of time he had spent in her realm he would have a fair amount of residual magic left in him. If he stayed in his village the magic would likely effect his people, who were not accustomed to such things as magic, and change them into wolves too.
The young man was overjoyed and scared as he quickly made it back to his home. He was afraid of what he would find and what his people would think of him. He made good time, remembering the path well, and only hesitated a moment outside the village entrance. The hesitance was quickly shoved away, he did not have time for it. He only wished to know that the people were faring well and that his onetime fiancée had found happiness with someone else. He had no hope of seeing his grandfather, for he was sure that he had passed by now, and he could only hope it had been peacefully.
As he entered his heart soared at the sight of the familiar homes and buildings he remembered so well, with only a few new additions. He noticed that many of the villagers were gathered round something that was causing a great commotion. He inched forward trying to see and not be seen as he did not wish to frighten anyone with his sudden strange appearance. What he saw nearly caused him to faint on the spot. His grandfather looking human once more, with only the pointed ears marking a significant difference, stood in the center of the crowd. All reason left the young man as he pushed through to hug his grandfather. For a moment crowd was quiet and the elderly man stood shocked in the embrace of his long since missing grandson. The quiet did not last long as the gathering erupted in immediate chatter asking a thousand questions that the young man did not hear. Then out of the crowd came the young woman he had loved and once hoped to marry. To him the years had not touched her as she ran forward and kissed him with every ounce of fire and passion in her.
It was too much for the young man as he sank to his knees while tears of joy streamed down his face. He had missed them all so much and now getting to see them again made his heart ache with happiness and sorrow, for he could not stay. He would not inflict his curse upon his people, but still he needed to give them an explanation and so he did. When he finished telling them that he could not stay his fiancée became immediately angry. She had waited years for him and now that he was back she would not lose him again. Even if she became a beast she did not care for they would be together.
To his surprise the other villagers agreed with his love and forbid him to leave again. If they became wolves too so be it, for it would not be the worst thing in the world so long as they could return to human form at will. They could defend themselves better this way and their senses would be enhanced, and so the young man stayed with his people. He never noticed that from the moment he stepped into his village the shackle he had worn as a sign of his slavery vanished. Midna knew he would never return to her and had at last set him free. The couple finally got their wedding, as the young man had been surprised to discover, his wonderful love had cared for it all of these years while waiting for him. He had been sure that it would have been burned down. The young man had become a skilled fighter during his years of slavery, and so he taught and led the others to protect and hunt for the village.
In time all of the villagers did indeed become wolves and as such many things changed. From that time onward any wolf that was born with either a white and gold coat or a black and silver automatically became alpha of the pack. The coloring was rare and it was believe that these were the incarnations of the first two wolves, be it the wise grandfather or the brave young man."
Link paused to drink some water before starting on the next story, which was thankfully shorter than the first. Luckily the Ordonians were too caught up from the first story to ask questions as of yet. With a deep breath he began the tale of how his people became the guardians of Ordon.
"Many generations passed since the first wolves of our village. In time we called ourselves the Ran, which in the old tongue meant shield wolf because we were the shield of the village of Ordon. The reason for this was because of one young man from Ordon and a girl from our people. They had met by accident one day when she had slipped and hurt her paw while playing amongst the slippery rocks.
The attraction was instantaneous between the two, but the boy's father would not condone such a match. He did not trust the wolf people and his son was one of the few capable of protecting their newly established village. The girl's family did not mind them seeing each other but forbid she bring him to the village unless they were married, for the wolf people's home had been kept a secret for many years as many had tried to destroy our people. The young lovers continued to see each other in secret for many months until one day they were caught by the boy's father.
The man became enraged and kept his son under lock and key within the village while threatening the girl with death should she come near them again. Both young lovers were upset by this and the girl ran home to her parents crying. For days the families of both the young people saw their children grow despondent until the girl's parents could take it no longer. They went to the young man's father to try and reason with him, for no parent wants to see their child heart broken.
The man was the head of the village and a very stubborn person. He loved his son and wanted him to be happy, but he felt the wolf people were dangerous and in recent months the village had been attacked by bandits frequently putting him on edge. The custom of the wolf people was such that his son would go to live in her village and so the father would not get to see his son as often to know if he was safe and the village would suffer the loss of a capable warrior. It was then that the girl's parents came up with a solution that would forever change the lives of their people.
If the man allowed the young couple to wed the wolf people would pledge themselves to the protection of Ordon as long as it had need. A contract was formed between the parents that until the Headman of Ordon abolished it the Ran would do everything in their power to protect the village. Since our people have always had magic it was a binding seal that became our drive in generations to come. For you see the Headman so liked the idea of not having to make his people pick up weapons he never abolished the contract. Whenever the son would visit his father he would try to talk him into abolishing the contract but the Headman never would.
Then one day a large group of bandits attacked the village as the young man was heading home to his wife. He died in the raid as well as his young wife, who had been on protection detail. The Headman was so distraught and angry at the wolf people he hid the contract thinking he would make them pay by forever binding them to the village. If none knew of the contract but him then no future generation could end it either. And so since then my people have been bound to protect this village at all costs."
As Link finished the last tale it seemed even the breeze dared not blow lest the solemnness be broken. A thousand questions danced on the tips of the villagers' tongues, but none could find the words to voice them. Eventually everyone shuffled off to their homes too stunned to do more.
Days passed and though Link never formally accepted Bo's invitation he began to build himself a home just outside of the village in a large tree. He built the home as he had been taught by his father working with nature rather than against it. Several of the villagers helped him and over time he became an integral part of their lives. Stories were shared and backgrounds learned about all those in the community. Slowly he felt his heart filling once again with the love and warmth of a community. He still, and probably always would, felt the pang of his loss but with time it became easier to bear.
Link had just returned from patrolling the outer edges of the woods around the village, bringing back a large buck for all to share, when Bo met him. After handing off the meat to Pergie, who was talented at preserving the venison for the winter months, Bo led him on a walk around the pond.
"Link m'boy, you've settled well into life here and you're a great help to us," started Bo a little awkwardly.
"It's my pleasure Mayor, since you were all kind enough to take me in and let me stay here so near you. I would have had to stay close anyway but having a home to go to makes it that much easier," replied Link truthfully.
"Please Link call me Bo and that was what I wanted to talk to you about today. You see since the night when you told us those stories I have been quite upset. To think one of my ancestors set it up so your people would be forced to look after us was quite disturbing. Since then I have been searching my home for that contract you spoke of as all of my ancestors have lived in the same home. It took a long while, but at last I located it." With that the large man pulled out a yellowed piece of aged parchment, unrolling it carefully.
Link's eyes took it in so fast his pupils appeared to be blurs. It was indeed the contract that had bound his people to Ordon, but it looked like there was fresh ink at the bottom. Bo explained as Link attempted to peer more closely at it.
"I read through the contract and learned how to end that curse on you. As of this morning you are no longer bound to us and may do as you please," said Bo with a large goofy grin on his face while the boy stood there stunned. It was during this time Rusl came up to the pair.
"Ah Bo I'm guessing you just informed Link of his new found freedom, am I right?" Rusl said this with a grin that was just as goofy as Bo's pulling at his lips.
"Yes Rusl," said Bo chortling still, "now would you like to add yours?"
Rusl nodded before looking the young wolf in the eyes as he spoke. "Link, I know you are now free to choose what you want to do and where you are to go. However, I would ask that if you choose to stay you would become my apprentice as a blacksmith and help train others how to fight. Your skills are great and we could all benefit from your tutelage. It also didn't escape us what you said about the color of your people's coats making them alphas, which means you were to be the leader of your pack after your father. We can't offer you the place of Headman here, as that's Bo's job and he'd be useless for anything else," Rusl smiled at his slight jab while Bo only chortled. "But if you should choose to stay we would like to offer you the chance to be the leader in all outer excursions. It would be up to you to lead parties out into the woods whether it is for hunting or defense. We would also like you to tell us how we should treat the pelts we have of your people. We don't know your customs are when it comes to the dead but whatever they may be we would like to honor them."
Link took this all in with the last part absorbing first. "I've already honored them and they would want you to use their furs," he spoke through numb lips. "It was always our duty to protect; we took it seriously, many of us were happy to do so, and so they would be happy to continue it in death. As for staying in the village; I've been thinking about that since the night Bo asked me if I wanted to become a part of your community. It's a lot to consider, especially as I'm no longer bound by the contract. There are many places beyond the borders of the forest I would like to see, but I need to belong to a community to have that stable connection. So I guess what I'm saying is yes, if you want me to stay I will."
Both of the older men beamed at this as Rusl clapped the youth on the back while Bo nearly crushed him in a bear hug. As Link struggled to breathe Rusl smiled at him responding to his last statement. "Don't worry son, we won't tie you down here in the village. The Kingdom of Hyrule is vast, far more so than our little village or even the forest we live in. And far greater still is the world itself with its many races and people. You should look upon it with your own eyes. As a village we send a yearly gift to the Royal Family; maybe one day you could go in my stead, though you would need a strong horse to take you there. As I hear it a new young filly was just born to one of our more rambunctious mares, and she's wild as the wind itself. Your skills with animals may allow you to tame her heart, and in time make the journey together."
The youth's eyes went wide at this prospect and he hugged both men tightly. It was odd to think that Link had come into this village with the expectation that his life would end. What he never expected was that when his old life ended a new one would begin.
A/N: Alright folks the last two chapters are up. All of you were so wonderful and not only did you meet my expectations on reviews you doubled it so I decided to give you more in the bonus chapter after this. However before we get to that I have a few things I need to say or type in this case. First and foremost thank you so much to those who have read this story. It's great to know so many out there keep coming back to it.
Now to those who have put this or any of my other stories on their follow/favorite list I am truly grateful that you would put this on there, thank you. The shout outs for 'Beasts of Ordon' are as follows: NoxTheShadowWolf, Slvr0107, Wildgirl404, leomonta, ThePredicate, and Whatstoknow. You're all awesome and dedicated, thank you.
Now for the reviews, which are what lead to the bonus chapter.
Wildgirl404: Thank you I plan on continuing writing. I'm glad you think so highly of this story and believe it deserves more credit. Wow my head might explode from all those compliments, thank you. Yes I have a habit of slightly depressing plot lines, but they make for such beautiful endings.
ThePredicate: Well as I'm sure you know by now nope that wasn't where the arrow went. The village was all standing behind Rusl, but I hope you liked how I did work it all in. Thank you battle scenes are hard so I go with a less is more theory on them, or at least I try to.
Guest: Thank you I'm glad you liked it and so now you have the rest of the story.
Guest: Thanks for the review but as I've said in other stories and my profile page I'm not a revenge writer. Truthfully it's a never ending cycle that just gets worse.
Guest: Nope Link isn't a slave. I gave hints of a curse type bit throughout the story and now in these last two chapters I explained why. And sorry it's a bit cliché as I do tend to go with slightly happier endings.
Guest: I'm sorry you feel that way but as I've said before Link couldn't leave the village to die or harm them thanks to the contract binding him. Yes it's not completely realistic that he could let it all go. After all that's what the human race is good at you hurt me so now I have to hurt you only worse and so on and so forth. You'd think at some point we'd realize that it never gets us anywhere, but alas we have yet to learn that.
Well that's about it folks enjoy the bonus chapter I put in and let me know what you thought of this short story. Later
Slight update folks TwiliWolf13 wanted to do a drawing for this story and they have accomplished it. It's on their deviantArt account under the following link: twilitwolf13. deviantart art/ Image-487431607 (just remove the spaces and and the http part in front)
TwiliWolf13 thank you so much for your support and the awesome drawing.
To all those who reviewed after the story was done, thank you. Reviews are the lifeblood to writers, even those that I don't agree with still help perspective.