Chapter 3
A month had passed since Zelda's birthday and the discovery of her adoption. Despite knowing her family isn't blood-related, she still loved them. In fact, Zelda believed that her relationship with her family and the rest of the village had improved for the better. To add all that, the strange dreams had also stopped. They had not occurred since the night of her birthday. Life had seemingly gotten more joyous.
Another layer of that joy will soon be added on this day, for today is Ordon Day. This is a day when the inhabitants of Ordon celebrate the establishment of this village a long time ago. There will be lots of food, games, and dancing. Some Ordonians will also showcase their talents, such as Rusl and Link demonstrating their swordplay in a friendly duel. At the same time, Zelda shows her talent in archery.
Zelda was in her room getting ready for the day. She and Link had volunteered to help prep the ranch for the celebration later tonight. After putting her necklace on, she went downstairs and saw her father talking to a dark-haired man at least a few years younger than him.
"Good morning, Father," Zelda greeted.
"Ah! Good morning to you, Zelda." Bo gave his daughter a hug. "How are you this morning?"
"Great!"
"That's wonderful. You remember Azazel, don't you?"
"Of course. Nice to see you again, Azazel."
Azazel is Bo's assistant, who has lived in the village for only a few years. He was distant and rarely ever left his home, but he seemed to be a nice enough man.
"Likewise, Zelda." Azazel returned his attention back to Bo. "If there isn't anything else to discuss, Mayor Bo, I think I'll head home and finish packing."
"You're leaving?" Zelda asked.
"I have some business to take care of in parts of Hyrule, so I'll be leaving in a few hours," Azazel simply answered. "But I wish you a happy Ordon Day."
Azazel gathered his materials and left the house. He seemed hurried to go, but Zelda thought nothing more of it.
"Happy Ordon Day, Dad," Zelda greeted.
"And a Happy Ordon Day to you too, Zelda! I'm sure you're looking forward to today as I am!"
"Of course. You only say that the more this day got closer." Zelda remarked playfully and annoyingly.
Bo laughed. "Oh, can't help it. It's my favorite day!"
"I know it is, Dad. Anyway, I'm heading to Link's to see if he's ready. I'll see you and Mom later at the celebration."
"Will do. Be careful now!"
Zelda gathered her archer's gear and headed out the door.
Meanwhile, Link was also getting ready for the day. He was looking through his house for something to wear for the holiday. He wanted to wear something different from his usual dirty plain shirt and pants he wore practically every day. He had spent most of the morning scavenging around his house, looking for something at least close enough to be formal. So far, his search had been all for naught.
"Nothing! I got nothing to wear for this day!" Link exclaimed in frustration. He sat on the floor, pretty much ready to admit defeat. "Maybe I can clean my other clothes real quick before the celebration? No...They take a while to dry. Why can't I just do my laundry normally instead of procrastinating?"
"Look under the table."
Link jerked up when he thought he heard that voice. He looked around, only to see he was the only inhabitant in the house. A feeling of a deja vu swarms within him. That voice sounded eerily familiar.
Could it be…
"No way. My head was just playing tricks on me…Probably the stress," Link reasoned with himself. "Yeah, that's gotta be it. That has to be... And I'm now talking to myself..."
Putting that aside, Link decided to look under the table anyway. Underneath, there was a big object that was covered by a cloth. Link pulled the huge item from under the table and removed the fabric. What was underneath it was a chest that he soon recognized.
This chest once belonged to his father.
During his childhood, Link never looked in the chest because his father would never let him. Leal did, however, leave him with the promise that Link could look in when he was older. That was before Leal disappeared seven years ago when Link was only twelve. Ever since Link had forgotten about the chest up until now. Link kneeled in front of the chest and blew off the dust. Figuring he was well old enough, he opened it. Link expected something like treasure or rare artifacts. What he saw was something he did not expect.
The chest contained a green tunic and chainmail that looked big enough to fit an adult. Along with it were a pair of white pants and a long-sleeved shirt of the same color. There were brown boots, fingerless gloves, a belt, and a triangular stock hat that shared the same color as the tunic. Another item Link noticed in the chest is a blue shield with Hylian markings.
Link was baffled. Why would his father be secretive about some clothes and a shield? Was there something special about them? Whatever the reason was, it's not like Leal was here to answer them anyways. Examining the items, Link figured they would be good enough to wear for a holiday.
Link put the clothes and accessories on. Much to his surprise, the clothes fit him perfectly. After staring at his reflection in the mirror, Link exited his house, grabbing a sword Rusl had made for him a few years back on his way out.
Zeld was nowhere to be seen when Link walked out. Figuring he had some time, Link decided to practice his swordplay on some homemade dummies they laid outside of his house. Midway through practice, he heard some bushes rustling, along with the sound of giggles. Link shook his head and smiled, knowing who the giggling belonged to.
"Alright, you four, I know you're there. Come out."
Four heads then popped out of the bushes. All of which to be children. It was Colin and his band of friends. With Colin were one girl and two boys that Link was familiar with.
The girl with him is named Beth, about Colin's age. She acts as their group's ringleader, ensuring everyone stays out of trouble. She and Colin were the closest of their friends. The two boys with them are a pair of brothers. The older brother is an eleven-year-old brown-haired named Talo, and the younger is his six-year-old brother, Malo. Despite their ages, Talo tends to act immature, while Malo is very mature for his age, more so than his older brother. With the six-year-olds maturity also came sarcasm and bluntness.
Despite the children's personality differences, they were all good friends who always had each other's backs when one needed it. The four children left their hiding spot and walked toward Link.
"Sorry, Link. We just wanted to watch you." Colin spoke up first.
"That's fine, but you don't have to hide when I practice. I don't mind the company," Link explained.
"I told you he wouldn't mind," Malo stated.
"Yeah, well, how would you've known that?" Talo argued.
"Knock it off, you two!" Beth scolded the bickering brothers.
"Where did you get those clothes?" Colin asked.
"I've...had them for a while. I figure now was a good time to wear them."
"They look nice on you."
"You think so?"
"Of course! Beth exclaimed. "They look awesome."
Talo took his attention from Malo and joined the discussion on Link's clothes. "Yeah! You look like a warrior!"
"I don't see what's great about it, but I think it suits you, Link," Malo commented.
"Thanks, guys," Link said.
"Hey, Link! Could you show us some of your sword skills, please?" Talo had always admired Link for his swordplay skills. In fact, he had wished to one day become a soldier himself.
Link couldn't help but say yes. He could never say no to the kids, no matter how hard he tried. As he showed off his swordplay to the kids, they didn't notice Zelda watching them from a distance. She smiled as she watched Link show his skills. She found it adorable that the Ordon kids looked up to Link.
When Link was done, Colin and Talo replicated Link's demonstration with sticks they found. In the past, they both had practice with Link and sometimes Rusl, so they knew the basic swordplay skills. They sparred until Colin landed a victory hit on Talo.
"Nice work, Colin. Now let's see if you can take me down," Link said.
Colin then pretended to attack Link. Of course, Link was slower and gentler than the small boy, letting him purposely strike. Colin pointed the stick at his stomach as if he stabbed him.
"Oh no! Colin, you have defeated me!" Link exclaimed playfully, and he slowly lay down on the ground. "Blood, blood, blood! And...death."
The children, minus Malo, who just rolled his eyes, laughed at Link's dramatic and comedic death scene. Link joined in the laughter. As they were laughing, Zelda approached them.
"You kids having fun?"
The kids and Link ceased their laughing to look up to see Zelda. Link quickly got up from the ground and brushed the dirt off his tunic.
"Hi, Zelda!" Beth greeted.
"I wasn't interrupting anything, was I?"
"U-uh, you weren't," Link nervously responded. "I was just showing the kids some swordplay, that's all."
"Right..." Zelda faced the children. "How are you kids doing this morning?"
"We're doing fine," Malo replied.
"We just wanted to see Link before the celebration," Colin stated.
"Hey Zelda, I got a new dress I'm wearing there that I think you'll love."
"I look forward to seeing it, Beth," Zelda said.
"Are you and Link going to dance together during the celebration at some point? That be so romantic!" Beth tends to be a hopeless romantic. And has this belief that Zelda and Link are soulmates. Sometimes both Zelda and Link like to play along. Talo and Malo, on the other hand, weren't interested in that stuff.
"Ew! That be so gross!" Talo exclaimed. "They'll probably be doing kissy stuff too."
"You mean something like this?" Zelda suddenly kissed Link's cheek, causing his face to turn red. Talo yelled in disgust and ran off, followed by Malo, who just walked away.
"You two should go after them," Zelda suggested to Beth and Colin.
"Alright. Come on, Colin," Beth urged him.
"Bye, guys. We'll see you later." Colin waved to the pair before he and Beth left Link and Zelda alone.
"Sorry about that, Link," Zelda apologized. "I figure you want those kids to stop bugging you anyway."
"Don't get me wrong, I love them, but they can be a little bothersome sometimes."
"No hard feelings then?" Link nodded in response. Zelda took notice of the green outfit that Link was wearing. "I've never seen you wear those clothes before. They new?"
"I found these today. I'm not sure about the new part."
"What do you mean?"
Link took a deep breath. "I found these in my father's chest. I haven't thought about it since…."
Zelda knew what he was going on about, so she lifted her hand, pressing him into not continuing. Even after seven years, Leal's disappearance was still a challenging subject with Link.
"I think it suits you quite well." She tried to change the subject. "In a weird way...it kinda looks like you were born to wear it."
"I think 'born to wear it' may be a bit much, but I appreciate the compliment," Link paused. "You want to head to the ranch to help get it ready?"
"I would like to, but there's a problem: I don't see Epona anywhere."
"What?!" Link darted his head in all directions in a panic as he saw no sign of his horse. "Where did she go?"
"Calm down. I think I know WHERE Epona is and WHO she's with." Link calmed down and muttered in embarrassment, realizing what Zelda meant. "You can ride with me, and we'll pick them up."
Zelda got on Ahearn, with Link sitting behind her. They all rode off into the woods and headed toward the Ordon Spring. Zelda's suspicions were confirmed when they arrived as they saw a young teen with a silver bay horse in the spring.
"Just as I thought. Ilia is washing Epona, again."
Link sighed as he got off of Ahearn. While he does appreciate Ilia taking care of Epona, he wishes the teen would let him know before doing so. "Why does she always bother with my horse instead of yours?"
"Because, unlike you, I always remember to bathe my horse," Zelda playfully replied, earning an irritated stare from Link. Even though she was right about that.
"She could at least tell me beforehand!"
Zelda remained on Ahearn while Link led them to the spring.
Ilia noticed them entering. "Hey, guys. I was just washing up Epona, if that's alright with you, Link."
"I appreciate the gesture, but please let me know first next time.
Ilia nodded her head and looked at Link's clothes. "I like your clothes."
"Thanks," Link replied as he claimed Epona once again. "Should we head to the ranch?"
"You want to come along, Ilia?" Zelda asked. "We could use some extra help."
"Sure. I got nothing else to do anyway."
Link got on Epona, and Zelda helped Ilia get on Ahearn.
"Come on, we better get the ranch ready," Zelda said as the horses began walking. "I'm sure you guys don't want Dad to miss giving his annual Ordon history speech."
"Oh great," Ilia groaned. "I can't wait to hear that story again. Not to mention, see him dance."
"I heard that he was an outstanding dancer in his day," Link commented.
Zelda gave him an odd look. "You're talking about Dad, right?"
"Yeah! From what I heard, it's why your mom fell in love with him."
"Really…?" Ilia replied as the three continued their way through the woods and back to the village.
Dusk began to arise in the Ordon province as villagers celebrated the anniversary of their home founding at the ranch. The starter of the event was Bo's Ordon Day speech, in which he told the story of the founding of Ordon and its history. Later on, villagers got the chance to show their talents. This included weaponry that was perfect for Link's swordsmanship and Zelda's skill in archery. Zelda had showcased her archery and hit the centers of every target, for which she earned grand applause.
Then it was time for Link and Rusl to showcase their swordplay in a friendly duel. Everyone had their eyes on them. The two were the best swordsman in the entire village. No doubt, this would be an exciting match for all to see. And a close one at that. Zelda was also anxiously watching the duel. She had a good feeling that Link would win his match.
The scene around her suddenly changed.
Link looks bruised. His clothes are wrinkled and partially torn. There were also small touches of blood on his skin and clothes. And he wasn't alone. Link, in his green outfit, was in a dark room, holding a sword, unlike the ones Zelda had seen before.
With him was a man much taller and more muscular than Link himself. The man had flaming red hair, a head brooch, dark skin, dark gray clothes and armor, and a dark cape. He held a blade much larger than the sword Link had. One thing that stuck out about the tall man was his eyes. They were of the color gold but filled with two things.
Hatred and pure evil.
They both circled each other like two alpha wolves fighting for the position of leader of the pack. They charged towards each other, putting their swords into a lock. Both stared right into each other's eyes.
The scene abruptly ended. Zelda stumbled backward, breathing heavily. She darted her eyes around, relieved she was still at the ranch.
"Are you alright, Zelda?" Uli noticed Zelda's distress.
"I'm fine, Uli," Zelda assured as her breathing slowed. "It's nothing."
Uli, though unconvinced, returned her attention to the duel. Zelda also resumes watching the fight. After several moments, Link emerged as the victor. Everyone watching applauded his success.
"Good job, Link. You have shown excellent swordsmanship."
"That's because I learned from the best," Link complimented, earning a smile from Rusl.
Mayor Bo then stepped in front of the audience. "Alright, everyone! We all saw many great talents today, but now is the time for the dances!"
The dances were a favorite tradition for the villagers. Those who participated did it in the ranch's center, alone or with a partner.
"Great job with the duel, Link!" Zelda congratulated.
"Thanks," Link saw the crowd gathering at the center, where he got an idea. "Zelda, can I ask you something?"
"Yes?" Zelda replied.
"Would you like to d-?"
"Hey, Link!" The two turned around to see Beth. "Can you dance with me?"
Before Link could say his answer, Beth dragged him to the ranch center. Zelda found the scene rather humorous.
"Zelda?" the sound of Colin's voice was heard.
"Hi, Colin. Do you need anything?" she asked the young boy.
"I was wondering if you like to dance with me...If that's alright?" Colin slightly blushed.
"Of course, I'll dance with you," Zelda responded with a smile
Zelda took Colin's hand, and they walked to the ranch's center to join the other dancers. Amid the crowd, Zelda saw Link trying to dance with Beth. He has a hard time keeping up with the energetic young girl. Zelda and Colin started their dance.
"You dancing is nice, Zelda," Colin commented while they were dancing, to which Zelda thanked him.
After a while, Zelda felt her feet getting tired. "Colin, I enjoyed having this dance, but I would like to take a break, please."
"Okay, Zelda," Colin understood. "I'll go find my friends."
As Colin parted away from her, Zelda left the crowd. Once she was far enough, she sat on the ground in the ranch and looked up into the sky. From a distance, Isabel watched her daughter with a somber look. Bo took notice of his wife's demeanor.
"Are you alright, dear?"
Isabel faced her husband. "I was just thinking...about the future." Isabel turned her attention back to Zelda.
"Ah, I see."
"Ever since we told her the truth...I couldn't help but fear that one day she'll leave us." Isabel lowered her head to the ground.
Bo looked at his wife. "I understand your fears, Isabel. I, too, fear the day Zelda may leave us and this village. But she still sees us as her true family and cares for Ilia, Link, the kids, and everyone here. Zelda would never up and leave us like that. But If she wants to leave, then it's her choice. We cannot control her life."
Isabel, despite disliking the idea, knew that Bo was right. Zelda is a grown woman capable of caring for herself and making decisions.
"I know…" Isabel breathed. "I'm afraid it might come sooner than I thought."
Bo then took his wife's hand lovingly. "Then we'll cross that bridge if it comes. For now, let's enjoy our time with her."
Isabel smiled. "You always have your ways of making me happy, Bo."
"If I didn't, you wouldn't have married me, would you?" That earned a small kiss from his wife.
"I love you, Bo."
Bo held his wife close. "Love you too, dear.".
Zelda continued to watch the dusk sky from her spot. Soon it would be nighttime, meaning the fireworks would light up the sky to conclude the holiday. She remembered the vision she had while watching Link and Rusl's duel. This was the first weird dream/vision she had since her birthday. It was different from the dreams that had plagued her. What did they both mean? Were they connected in some way? Did they actually mean something?
Her train of thought was interrupted by the sound of footsteps.
"Tired from the dancing?" Link sat next to Zelda.
"A little," Zelda replied. "You?"
"Definitely! Beth is such a crazy dancer."
"I guess I should be happy Colin's dancing isn't like Beth's." Link chuckled at her statement. "Link, what were you gonna ask me before?"
"...I was gonna ask if you would like me to dance with you,
"You...wanted to dance with me?"
"Yeah. I thought it would be nice, but that doesn't matter now.
Zelda saw the disappointment in his eyes. "We can dance whenever you're ready." Link smiled at her offer and thanked her. The pair then looked up at the sky, enjoying nature's beauty.
"Do you still think about them?" Link broke the silence.
Zelda looked at him. "About who?"
"You're real parents."
"...What makes you think that?"
"For the past month, you've been staring into space a lot. I was wondering if you were thinking about them.
"I...I do think about them often," Zelda admitted. "I just wonder why I was given up in the first place."
"I don't know the answer to that, Zel...Maybe the goddesses have their reasons for you being here."
"But one thing for certain. I do love the family I have now. Mom, Dad, Ilia, Rusl, Uli, the kids, and you."
Link looks at her in surprise. "That's really touching to think of me as your family."
Zelda and Link smiled at each other. That was cut short when they noticed the sounds of the cheering stop. They saw the villagers stopping their festivities and looking up at the sky.
"What's going on?" Zelda wondered.
"I don't know. We better check it out." Link suggested, to which Zelda agreed. The pair got up and went to the crowd to see what was happening.
Nothing to say but I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
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