Mist surrounded the soft, quiet village of Ludrion. Men spoke in partners, laughing and joking with each other. Children played with small wooden sticks, pretending to thrash the grass clean. A woman and man sat on a small bench near their cabin home. The woman, fair brown hair sat with a grimace and tears welled in her eyes. The man, who was looking rather excited but also upset tried to soothe the wife. They held each others hands, the woman beginning to sob. Her stomach was enlarged but she knew that no baby was to be conceived.
"There will be another child. Do not worry. We will have the baby that we always dreamt of." The man smiled. The woman shook her head, retracted her hand and left the bench with tears dripping down her cheeks.
"Hey!" A tall man with a gray cloak on hurried towards the woman. The man, worried by the way the man ran, leapt up from his seat and grabbed her arm. The other man neared the small house, grass shuffling under his feet. In his arms was a small basket with a light blue blanket over it. "I heard of what has happened. I have found this in the Forest of Mists. His name in Link." He held out the basket. The woman and man both stared a each other and the woman began to wipe off her face and smiled. She gently grabbed the basket out of the man's grubby fingers and dipped her head down to him.
"Treeso! We do not know where the child has come from!" He yelled after the Treeso. She barely even heard the words over her joy and fed the child a bottle of warm and white cow milk. She could overhear the faint conversations of the men but she decided that she would take care of her new baby. His name was Link. She removed a strand of long hair over his eye which was light blue. His hair was a dirty blond and small tips of brown. His parents were dead... she thought. Treeso shook her head in dismay and repeated to herself that she would take care of the baby who was hers now. She smiled at the thought and soon heard the oaken door open with a slight creak. Link gurgled, his body thin and long. He would be a tall child and his eyes would be brighter in the sun. Treeso laughed at the smiling Link who then slowly fell asleep.
"We will be asking the King for a cow this year. I will set out to the palace tomorrow. We will keep the child but Ludrion is not a safe place. I think he will be just fine in Donrion." Palat looked down at Link. Treeso looked up from the small, handsome face of Link and stared at Palat with anger in her eyes. Palat then opened his mouth and said never mind. Treeso placed Link into his new basket, one that was made from linen wool with small embroiders that signified it was a baby boy. Smiling, Treeso laid beside her new son.

Chapter 1: Herder of the Dragons

Wind howled outside of the house of a young man. His hair was blond, long and wavered over one eye. His heart pounded but he felt calm and smiled. The night was grim and dark but he did not mind. More blasts of wind whistled outside of his house. Since he was now the age of seventeen, he could live in his own house and he could do what he wished. His lungs felt bubbly and he was excited for the new day. Sunrise came, the sun exceeding into the sky along with clouds. Link laughed and dressed himself into his brown leather pants and his shirt slightly made of wool and oak leaves. Grabbing a pitchfork and a rod with a piece of dangling boar meet, he hurried out the door of his house. He climbed from the ladder that was made from fine birch sticks. His friend, Lily had made it for him, the king's daughter. The King was not a royal, famous and evil King but he was gentle, chubby and merciful. He let every one get what they needed but no one was aloud to enter the Town. That was because of a great Legend said that when the King himself was younger, a man of stretched clothes had been taken in by the Town of Ludrion. They had let him live in the small wooden palace and he was mysterious. The King, as a young prince, demanded he be gone but the man just shook his head and carried on with what he did. Angry, the young prince asked his guards in exchange of one hundred rupees, to make him leave with bribery. They asked him all day but he never left. When the man was fit to walk and move around, he killed the guards and attacked the King, almost killing him. He stole from the Town stores, murdered hundreds of children and killed off their boars and dragons. Link shook his head from the legends and looked at the trees which sprouted over his head. They were towering over him but Link liked the idea. He was taller then most but handsome and fair. Although he could not talk most people knew he was friendly and would do what he could to help them. Today happened to be one of the days of the Dragon Herds and he wanted to finally attend his first one. A long path was in front of him, small sticks and stumps clustered underneath the leaves. Impatient, Link began to race through the forest, his bare feet clacking soon against cobblestone and dirt. The Town opened in front of the Gently Forest and Link smiled, children were playing with rods and small slingshots. A small building with purple paint was a few feet away from the winding path and a bridge led to the small opening of the Town of Ludrion. Men of all ages began to speak about the Dragon Herds and laughed. Link didn't bother to join because they would just boast like most of the Ludrion men do. Link could see the tall hill of the ranch, some rocks and tree saplings covered some of the wooden sides. Link gasped and hurried towards the ranch, hearing the small wails of baby dragons. The baby dragons were gently and most of the time pleasant. The female and male adult dragons could not fly and could not breathe fire but many young children said that there was one that was larger then the Town that breathed fire and was blazing red. Link soon met up with a shy boy named Clinten who kicked a rock from under his foot. The small, green eyes looked into Link's who was standing over him, his shadow darkening the small boy's face.
"I wanted to attend the Dragon Herds. I'm a year young! I was supposed to get in but my birthday is tomorrow and the herds are today." Clinten looked back down, a small tear streaming down to his shirt. Link shrugged, the only thing he could. He placed his hand on his shoulder and walked away, trying to forget the sadness in his eyes. Link began to wonder why he would be too young. If his birthday was tomorrow then why would he not be aloud? The answer would have to wait as Link trudged onto the hill. There were seven children watching over the small fences of the ranch. Although they were small, they were bronze and thick so that the dragons would not be able to escape. Link soon began to smile as his friend, Lirui, the Town's Herdsman, began to clumsily walk over. He placed a shaking hand on his shoulder and Link opened his mouth with a bigger smile.
"I am a bit worried that the town will not think of us as "great Herdsmen". Do you think you can try and get thirty of the baby dragons in? The men will think we're amazing! I know you can do it Link. The Town will believe next year will be better. I know you can do it and I hope your rank will be boosted. Thanks Link," Lirui said and smiled, walking away with glee and began to talk to other men, placing bets that he would be able to get thirty dragons in. Link had trained all year for this day and he would definitely be able to herd in thirty. His highest herding was fifty three. Link usually always had a big smile on his face but his parents, Treeso and Palat, were walking casually towards him. Although he did love them very much, they were too caring and never let him do what he wished, including his decisions of training as a swordsmen and not a herdsmen. Treeso hurried besides him, giving his a tight hug and then placed her hands on his upper arms, smiling. Palat, who never usually smiled now, looked at him. Palat now had many worries, including the death of his beloved cow, Bes. Trying to smile at his mother, who was almost in tears, she spoke gently to him.
"You will be great. Please. Please just be careful. Those beasts are evil and they will hurt you!" Treeso began to chatter on and Link filtered out her voice, listening to the men behind him. Lirui was trying to handle a man who was shouting. Holding his mother's hands, he looked back with a twist of his head and stared at the man. He was quite tall, a bit taller then Link and he was shouting and grabbing the shoulders of Lirui, shaking him violently. Grunting, the young man pushed Lirui. With a thick and hard yell, Link sprinted towards the man and buckled his knees, lunging at his torso. The man fell, shouting and Link got up, grabbing his arms and twisting them. He had learned the move from his trainer, Inick, when he was fifteen. He had usually dealt with dragons like this because of trying to attack him or the other dragons. Treeso was gasping and Palat was trying to smile at Link but he couldn't and walked into the darkness of the people who crowded over them. Grabbing the leather shirt of the man, he picked him up and shoved him into the bronze fences so he knew to leave.
"Don't ever come back. Ever!" Lirui shouted as he left. The people hoorayed and Link smiled. Walking over to the fallen man, Lirui was rubbing his hand over his now sandy belly. Link outstretched his hand and waited for Lirui to grab it. Lirui grabbed the sweaty hand of Link and smiled. Link's eyes widened in worry and Lirui just shook his head.
"I'm fine. Now go herd some Dragons!" Lirui laughed and pulled Link to the ranch which was filled with more Town Folk. They smiled at him, most were woman who began to laugh and snicker. Some began to whisper and Link could slightly hear the words.
"Link is so handsome. I wish he would come talk to me!" A young woman with blond and brown hair snickered. Rolling his eyes, Link walked into the large oval ranch which had thirty baby dragons in it. Link's eyes widened. There were also larger dragons which he had never handled before.
"I'm so sorry Link. Just get the baby dragons in and try not to notice the bigger ones. At least try to get one adult. I'll give you a time overlap of fifty seconds. I'm sorry. The men decided it would be a better way to... make the difficulties worse. Just try and do your best. Lily is coming in five minutes and I think she wants to be impressed." Smiling, Lirui slapped his back which made Link cringe from the small pain. Girls giggled and men whispered. Link felt like a man now. He would be dealing with an adult dragon! Link watched the dragons which grazed at the cobblestone pebbles. Laughing, Link had a long rope. He adjusted it three times around his shoulder and then began to loop it in the air. A baby dragon's head twisted into the rope and he hauled the baby as fast as he could. The dragons began to growl but Link didn't worry and soon hurried after the next. He soon had twenty seven when Lily walked by the bronze fences. Link watched her and hauled at the dragon. After three more baby dragons raced into their barns, one male dragon leapt at him. Gasping in fear, Link used the rope to knot his head. Soon, the dragon was throwing and whipping back his head, trying to get out of the loop. Link had seen a man tackle one of the beasts but this one was abnormally large, towering over his head. With one collapse, he would die. Link used his forearm to wrap the rope around and dug his feet into what earth he could find and hauled at the dragon. When the barn was nearing, the dragon roared but did nothing and Link soon had him into the barn and ready for resting. Link panted and tried to regain his breath. Soon, an iron sword flew into the air, showing that his time was up.
"Link has the score of thirty infant dragons, along with an elderly male dragon! New record!" Lirui yelled and everyone cheered. Lily and Link gazed at each other, both blue eyes deep into each others. Smiling at his new achievement, Lirui grabbed his torso and flung him onto his shoulders. Swinging his arms in happiness, Link watched the Town of Ludrion cheer and holler at him. Link jumped off of the large shoulders of his Herdsman trainer and walked over to Lily who was holding her arms out. Link wrapped his arms around her stomach, grabbing the small of her back and smiling with warmth and comfort. Link released her and smiled. Lily began to talk but a large hand hit his shoulder. Gulping, Lily's eyes widened.
"Link. The King would like to see you." The guard snickered.

Link could barely even walk in a straight line as Lily held his hand. They were friends and the King probably expected a relationship, maybe he didn't like Link but Link didn't care he needed to assist his King of what he needed. Lily opened the oaken doors of the well lit palace. There were torches of fire at the tip of the ceiling, barely touching the roof. It flooded out some light but not enough and Link almost tripped over the guard in front of him. A well chubby and arrogant looking man sat on a throne. The throne had red wool on the seat and the rest was spruce wood. Link gulped as the King picked some meat from his teeth and flung it from the ground. His nose was too large for his face and his eyes were squinted. He had large, bushy eyebrows which covered his forehead. His head was bald with tints of brown spots from birthmarks. Link flung his hand over his hair, which was thick and blond and long and probably was a mess from the herding of the dragons.
"Link!" The King threw himself off the throne. His heart lurching into his throat, Link watched as the King raced over to him. He expected some sort of slap and shut his eyes but the large arms of the King wrapped around his torso. Link exhaled sharply as the King lifted him into the air, stripping away every breath in his body. Gently slapping the arm of the King, he dropped him down. "I am asking that you bring this to... Hyrule. It is a gift from us to the Royal Princess Zelda. She will be in the Hyrule Palace, which is many miles away. I was wondering, since your so skilled at riding horses, dragons and boars... I was wondering if you would like to deliver it! Maybe you will get to see the Princess herself!" The King smiled. Link's eyes widened. Why would he ask of him to go on a dangerous journey? What about his guard, Sui? Link thought twice and remembered that Sui was his only guard and that the Town could be attacked or what not. The walls surrounded the entire Town, few trained Swordsmen worked at the gate. Link thought about the long journey. How would he know the way? Link could see a map dangling from the King's hand. Link looked into Lily's eyes which were frightened and she mouthed "no". Gulping, Link nodded, looking at the King whose eyes were wide with worry. They began to talk about the long journey and he would be leaving in six days, also he needed the permission of his mother and father and his Herdsman trainer. Nodding, Link worried at the thought of his mother who would most likely say no but he father would persuade her and she would finally say yes. Link knew the ways of his parents. Lily gasped, anger flaring in her eyes.
"He is only young! Get Sui to go or Jay! Not Link! I need him to stay and help me with the horses and boars! I don't want him to get hurt for some stupid gift to some stupid Princess!" Lily frowned and shook from frustration. The King gasped at the words and so did Link who was rather abashed by her words. The Princess was young but wise and knew many things. To get into her trust was a privilege and she only had few guards from lack of trust. Link looked at Lily who was twirling slightly to side to side.
"Princess Zelda is nineteen years old and will soon be turning twenty years of age! Which will be her coronation of the Queen! She will be Queen Zelda soon! You will not want to make her angry or you could be executed for the mistrust and anger towards her! Never say those words again!" The King yelled. Sui snickered behind him and looked at them. Lily looked down and then at Link.
"I don't want you to go. You don't have to, you know. This will not improve your life by going to the Palace Of Hyrule. You will still be the same Link overtime. They will forget about you." Lily huffed. "I'm just jealous because what if you and Zelda start talking and maybe... just maybe she will trust you and you will like her and then she will like you and then ... blah. I don't want us to be... over" She said, grabbing and twisting her fingers around Link's hand. He would never forget her. Ever no matter what he went though he would love her forever. But they could never be together, she was a princess and he was a Herdsman's Apprentice.
"So you will go in six days. Come tomorrow and I will show you the way to Hyrule." The King smiled and waved them away.

Chapter 3: The Map of Hyrule.

People crowded around him. He laughed and smiled at everyone and waved. They asked Sui and Lily about his visit with the King and many people began to ask him if he was going to Hyrule. Simply nodding, Link walked to the Gentle Forest which was a bit dark but still well lit. Breathing in the fresh air, Link sighed with relief as the Town Fold began to wander away. No one considered the Gentle Forest a safe place but six Swordsmen guarded the walls. Link loved the forest and thought about the journey to the Palace of Hyrule. He imagined the large gatherings, the happy folk. He had heard of the Kingdom hundreds of times, hearing about the sales, the shops, the odd folk and the place he had heard of so many times, the Magic Mask Shop. Although he wouldn't have enough time to see the Mask shop, he had hoped he would. As he walked back to his home, which was assembled into tree, he could see faint lines of his parents bodies. They were waiting for him at the end of the ladder.
"Hey! Link!" His mother waved and smiled. Link slumped his arms a little and then waved, trying to pretend he was tired so they would leave. "We have heard that you will be going to Hyrule! Well... sorry but you are not aloud." Treeso was looked a bit saddened by her decision but he knew it was an act. Opening his mouth, Link gasped.
"I am sorry Link." Palat said and then patted his shoulder. Link became angry at them. Soon they had some fine parchment on his table, with a small feather with a bottle of ink. He began to assemble the Hyrule Symbols onto the paper which read:
"Mother... I would really like to go! Please can I? This will change my rank and my Bearings! I will be rich and happy. Father, you of all people should know this will change me. Clinten and Lily will be so glad!" Link wrote. His mother shook her head and slammed his oaken door.
"Sorry Link this is too dangerous. You will not be going." Palat murmured and left. Kicking in anger, Link got up and smashed the ink bottle against the wall and realized his mess and began to clean the ink soaked oaken boards. Link felt angry and finally decided he would go without the permission of his parents. Angry with his mother and father, Link fell asleep on his soft, leathery blanket bed.

Link awoke to the sound of a cuckoo bird yelping into the air at sunrise. Awaking with happiness, he stretched his arms and walked over to his table where he cooked some small strips of boar meat and one tiny egg. He ate and began to trudge onto the path to Ludrion Palace. The day was chilly but warm enough and Link wore leaf weaved shorts with pads of leather. Smiling as he whistled, two women named Elisa and Eliser smiled and waved at him. Waving back, Link winked at them and picked two flowers for them. As he gave them the flowers he told himself that with every effort of showing affection, everyone needs something in return even if it means nothing. The girls squealed and ran into a birch log house. Link walked away and could see a mewling kitten on the side of the path in a basket. Gasping, Link grabbed the little kitten in the palm of his hand. It was so small that it could fit into his pocket. He looked at the kitten who was still very young and hurried to the shop on the side of the path. The woman inside was tending to her flowers, whistling and smiling at the tune she sang. Link waved at her, trying to get her attention but she didn't look. Link grunted and cleared his throat and she turned abruptly around. She cooed and smiled and looked into Link's pocket where a tiny kitten mewled. She nodded her head knowing what he had come for. She handed him a jar of white, warm milk.
"It is made from the cow of Palat. Your father! Bes would have wanted her last jar to save something." She smiled. Her name was Andread. She had gray hair coming from the sides of her chubby cheeks. She was a nice woman of great elegance and married to one of the Swordsmen. Link had always come to her shop when he was younger, trying to buy a slingshot or a nutshell that could never be bought by a child. He would just walk out and try again the next day until he was twelve years of age and bought a sword of Great Deku Wood. Smiling and pulling out the calico kitten, she suckled onto the milk. He thought the kitten was adorable but knew he had to give her away, he could not look after the poor kitten while he was on his quest. As he left the store, thanked Andread, he walked toward the palace. Lily was standing beside her dog named Restrove. They were playing in the sand. At the sight of Link, Lily got up and smiled, placing her hand on that back of her head and she laughed awkwardly. Smiling and feeling the wind brush his hair into his eyes, Link went to move it. Lily hurried over to him and brushed it for him and smiled, looking into his blue eyes.
"I have never seen blue eyes like yours. There is almost a hint of YELLOW inside of them!" She said gently and looked at Link's lips. Link blushed and Lily placed her hand on his cheek. "You don't have to go. I don't want you to, Link. I don't want you to die or something. The outside world is dangerous and I know you will probably make it but I don't want you to get hurt and never make it home. You understand right? Will you stay with me?" She asked. She was particularly short but tall enough to reach Link's shoulders. She smiled but Link shook his head in dismay. He had to go, no matter the dangers. He wanted to be the best Town Members ever and maybe he would even meet the Princess herself! Lily looked down but soon caught Link's eyes again. She smiled and removed her hand, turned around and walked onto steps. Link walked after her but Lily jumped off the steps and clung onto Link's neck, her lips touching his. Link opened his mouth to gasp but Lily pulled his lips back up and finally let go.
"Link... I will never be able to forget you but if you need to go... go. I will love you forever Link." Lily whispered in his ear and jumped off of his neck. Link blushed, feeling hot with embarrassment and also happiness. Link laughed and walked into the palace. Lily followed besides him, holding his hand and smiling. The King was sitting and half asleep on his throne, his eyes shutting and then fluttered open when he saw Link. Jumping up in excitement, he grabbed Link's shoulder and squeezed it softly. As they hurried away to one of the rooms of the palace, the King searched for his large map. Soon he had the painted piece of paper. Link gawked at the map of Hyrule and saw a huge kingdom painted in the middle. It was named in Hyrule Symbols, "Hyrule Kingdom". Amazed, Link began to grin and smile at the thought of going through the Kingdom of Hyrule. He knew that he wanted this and he would disobey his parents but it was worth the loss of his parents trust.
"Your mother and father told me you would not be going. Now, you only need one yes from one of your guardians like your Herdsman. Lirui will likely say yes and I know he will because I spoke to him and he already agreed. I will tell your parents tonight at the Great Fest. Link beamed now and he felt confident. He was excited for this trip. He would meet the Princess! Glancing at the King, Lily peered over her fathers shoulder.
"You should be getting back now. The Great Fest will be starting soon and you will probably have to herd some dragons!" The King laughed.