Author's note: Updated 16th of July 2023

Chapter 3

Two weeks passed quickly, and the great day was approaching. The villagers could already sense the change of demeanour in their young Hylian neighbour the more the departure drew nearer; he was constantly in a good mood, practised swordplay a lot more, and played his flute nearly every evening. His horse companion also acted more lively, as if she sensed that something new was coming. Link often took her to the spring for a wash and more than once came back soaking wet after being shoved into the water by a large horse head. Link knew this was Epona's way of displaying her anticipation.

The large field in the mountains had been ploughed and sowed, so Link spent most of his days on the ranch and tended to his duties as a wrangler. He cleaned the stables more thoroughly and made many repairs and improvements to the fences. Fado often heard him whistling while brushing the blue-grey fur of a goat, and could only shake his head with a grin. Everyone in Ordon was happy for the boy and knew that Bo and Rusl had made the right choice in appointing him as representative. And despite the road to Hyrule having become even more dangerous lately, with Bokoblins roaming the forest paths and attacking travellers, Link was convinced that the journey would be the adventure of a lifetime.

On another bright spring day, a three-noted whistle resounded over the ranch and into Ordon, and the townsfolk tending to their duties paused and watched the red beast trot through the village. Link stood with Fado near the ranch gate and held it open for Epona to come through, hurrying to close it when a few curious goats approached with mischief in their black eyes.

"Aw reet, mucker, as usual," Fado said, making his way towards the barn while Link mounted Epona. The Hylian leaned forward momentarily and patted her neck, wriggling his weight comfortably into the big leather saddle before nudging her flanks with his heels.

Epona's bulk and large hooves were the only means of persuasion daunting enough for the stubborn goats to make off with haste. This was why Link did the herding, for Fado simply did not have the authority that the imposing mare possessed. When Link then shouted and waved his hand to shoo the fleeing goats along, they usually geared up to a sprint to reach as much distance as possible between the horse and its rider. If Link sent them in the right direction they ran headlong into the barn where Fado pushed them into their respective pens. All three had been herding their goats in this manner for years, so that afternoon the feat was accomplished in a matter of minutes.

The barn door banged shut, and Fado walked over to Link and Epona. "Whit was it, tha' moorns awreddy, mate?"

Link leaned forward and patted Epona's neck. "Yep," he answered. "Tomorrow at midday we're off. And you're sure you'll manage them without me?"

Fado laughed, a full-bellied sound that echoed against the grassy hills surrounding them. "What dae ye think Ah did when ye waur still playin' hide-and-seek wi' Ilia aw day? Aw'll manage, dornt ye worry."

Link smiled and raised a hand in farewell, then trotted out of the ranch.

He still had the afternoon left to practise swordplay, and he wanted to make full use of that time; if he really encountered some creatures on the road, he preferred to be prepared. As they walked through the village, the people who were busy weeding their gardens greeted him with waves and calls. The children bolted up from a game of stones as they saw him and lined up around Epona, escorting him to his house.

"Will you practise again, Link?" Beth asked and put a hand on the horse's warm flank. Talo was in front of them and swinging a stick around like a sword, shredding the high patches of grass. Malo shuffled along behind them, making sure to be at a generous distance from Epona's legs. Link had once made him aware of the danger that lurked in those hindquarters; the prospect of losing what few teeth Malo's youth had given him with the help of a well-aimed hoof had shocked the small boy deeply.

"Which one will you do today?" Beth asked as Link hopped off and forked some hay into Epona's trough.

"I don't know yet, guess it'll be a surprise," he answered with a wink while pulling his sword from its sheath. He had gotten used to carrying it with him at all times. It felt good to have the additional weight on his back, for it radiated a welcomed sense of security that made him feel almost invincible.

His poor training mannequin had suffered more over the last couple of weeks and clanked miserably as he began to hack away at it to warm up. Talo tried for the hundredth time to imitate his moves on a nearby tree, his short stick thudding along with Link's metallic strikes. But following Link's movements posed a problem, for he did not use his right hand as Talo did. Link was left-handed, one of very few, according to Rusl.

The first time Rusl had given him a wooden sword to train with, he had been perplexed to see Link hold it in his left hand. Left-handedness was a rather rare trait, and the few people Rusl knew with the same complexity had decided to adapt to the majority with some practice, eventually writing and fighting right-handed like everyone else. This had not been the case with Link, who over years of practice had tried and failed to train his offhand effectively, retaining an amateurish clumsiness despite all the drilling imaginable. In the end, Link had resorted to learning from Rusl by copying and mirroring his every move, becoming the only person Rusl knew who fought like a reflection of himself.

"I can't do it!" Talo shouted, and Link paused.

"It takes a lot of practice, but you'll get there," he answered kindly. "I started off just like you when I was eleven."

"But you have a real sword made of metal and all," Talo protested. "I want to have a real sword, too."

"Last time we broke into Mister Rusl's shop to get a sword, we got the scolding of our life," Malo murmured. "I thought it was never gonna end."

"You did what?" Link chuckled, not knowing if he should berate or commend them for their bravery.

"Yeah, but only because you tripped over your silly skirt and made the lantern shatter," Talo shot back at Malo.

"And you just ran away and let me get chewed-out by Dad alone."

"Well, you two can't have a real sword," Beth intervened with her fists on her hips. "And Link is much more skilled than you, that's why he has one."

"I'm sure I could fight with a real sword, and chase away those monkeys for good," Talo growled, shooting a thundering gaze at Beth.

Link sighed as the two started quarrelling, and instead of listening he went back to his puppet. In the distance he noticed the small form of Colin step into his yard from the hill path and halting the moment he saw the two arguing children. As Link waved him closer, Colin smiled and hurried towards his big brother.

"How's that fishing rod coming along, Colin?" Link asked when he was sure the other kids weren't listening.

"It's going great! Dad showed me how to bend the hook yesterday and helped me paint on the stripes. Now it looks like a bumblebee with a reaaaally long body. You'll go fishing with me when it's finished, won't you, Link?"

"Sure thing. And I promise, next time I won't fall asleep halfway through."

Colin giggled, a rare chime that formed a large grin on Link's face. "Last time you were so tired you almost fell into the creek!"

"Hey, herding goats is hard work."

His brother's smile slid from his face. "Dad says it's because you have nightmares."

Link paused, inwardly cursing his father figure. So much for keeping it to himself and not causing any worry among his foster family. Thanks, Rusl… "Well, that too, I guess."

"Are they, like, really bad?"

Link could never bring himself to lie to Colin. He put his sword aside and sat down at a nearby pine tree, beckoning his brother to join him. "They're mostly of you guys getting hurt, which is why I hate them so much. But that just means that I care about you a lot, and that my mind is preoccupied with your safety."

"But dad said they started way before you found those prints in the woods, you know, of that monster."

"The Bokoblin, yes."

"But how could they start before you found any danger?"

Link grinned, masking his preoccupation with that fact, a fact he had been pondering for weeks already. "Maybe I can see into the future? Wouldn't that be neat?" He closed his eyes and pretended to think hard. "Yes, I see it clear as daylight now. Colin will catch a really big bluegill with his new fishing rod, and I will be wide awake to witness it."

Colin laughed again. It was a sound Link cherished with every fibre of his being.

"I also see Colin talking with Talo and Beth. They're laughing and playing together, because Colin found his courage and asked them if he could play, too."

Colin's face turned pained, and he hung his head. "No, I won't."

It was no secret that the blond boy had trust issues. Talo's and Beth's brash behaviour had forever prompted him to seek the shelter of solitude or his mother's company over that of his peers, and in his ten years he had never quite managed to earn their interest or their respect. If it only remained at that; lately Talo had found great pleasure in teasing Colin, and Beth had done little to step in between. Colin had retreated even more after the first incidents and had caused great worry among his parents, whom he refused to tell of Talo's abuse by fear of being harassed even more. Link was the only one the boy truly felt safe to confide in, but part of Link wondered if his brother's extreme closeness to their parents had sprouted as an aftermath of Link's separation from them, and Colin was trying to fill the void in the family Link had created.

To protect him and share his wisdom with him seemed the only way he felt he could make it up to his little brother. "You know, I can always talk to them and tell them to include you in their games more often."

Colin shook his head. "No, please don't do that! And besides, I don't want to learn how to fight, it's scary and dangerous."

"You wouldn't need to play fighting games, you could play other games."

"But they never listen to me," Colin answered miserably, plopping onto his back and staring up at the pine needles. "I'm a coward."

Link moved a bit closer and lay down next to him. He did not notice Beth and Talo's arguing become quieter.

"You're not a coward, Colin. All you have to do is talk to them, tell them what you want to do. Show them that you exist and that you have good game ideas too."

"Do I?" Colin looked at him hopefully, and Link nodded with a smile.

"Of course you do. Remember the one time you had the idea of building that dam by the creek and we flooded half the village?"

"We got scolded for that."

"Well, yes, and even though it got a little out of hand later on, it was still a great thing to build. I'm sure Talo and Beth would love to build something else with you, if you just asked them."

The young boy's face dropped again. "But why do they never ask me if I want to play? Is something wrong with me?"

"That depends on how you see yourself. What could be keeping them away from you?" Link stated, cocking his head in Colin's direction. The boy frowned, thinking hard, toying with his fingers absent-mindedly. After a moment he looked back up.

"I'm too shy," he said.

Link smiled. "Then that's something you should work on. But it will disappear once you find out how to beat it."

"But how?"

"Try new things, come out of your shell and see what happens. If something goes wrong, remember that it's not the end of the world, and that there's always a tomorrow to try again." The Hylian tapped lightly on the boy's arm with a grin. "And then you'll see your true potential, find out who you really are."

Colin's eyes beamed with happiness. "You know, when I'm older, I'm gonna be just like you, Link. I'm gonna be brave and I'll have a horse as well."

Link laughed. "Well, if you want to have a horse you need to know how to ride first. How about I teach you as soon as I'm back from Hyrule?"

"Oh, yes please!"

As if on cue, Epona let out a snort and stomped her hooves against the stable door. The two blue-eyed boys looked at her, and Link stood up quickly.

"Did she approve, Link?" Colin asked, still smiling. But as he saw the frown on Link's face, he gulped.

The Hylian turned to him. "Where are the others?"

They both looked around in search of Talo's red headscarf, Beth's short hazelnut hair, and Malo's black tufts. The yard was empty. Epona now whinnied softly, a plaintive sound that made Link's skin crawl. It was as if one of his nightmares had suddenly come true.

"I don't believe it," he grunted. "Run to the village and tell Rusl that the kids ran off. I'll try to catch up with them."

"But—Talo will get mad it I tell on him!"

"Not if you save his life in doing so," Link called back. "Go, Colin! Quick!"

The little boy ran off without a glance back. His sandals swirled up the dust of the dirt path as he disappeared down the hill, while Link lunged himself atop Epona and sent her into a quick trot.

The gates were wide open as they hurried out of town, and Link grunted crossly. Had their parents not made it clear that the forest had become a dangerous place and that the gates must always be closed? He briefly dismounted to pull the gates shut again, securing them with the chain Rusl had crafted for that purpose. As he was about to mount, however, his look fell on the scattered dust of the path.

He knelt down, quickly taking in the scene. Prints wide apart indicated Talo running. Beth's footprints were closer and deeper near the front, for she sauntered a little when she ran. Malo's trace was a complete mess, the too long orange skirt tied around his waist having smudged his prints. There was, however, a fourth track he made out among the other three, the owner possessing short nails at the front and abnormally long toes. This, Link knew, was the trace of a monkey.

"Oh no, Talo…" he mumbled and followed the tracks out of Ordona Province and into the dark woods of Faron.

Frequently during the last week, a female monkey with a red flower on her head had ventured into the village—even in broad daylight—to steal some food out of the barn or the houses. It had sparked Talo's sense of duty, causing the boy to chase after it on many occasions with none but his father capable of stopping him. The question of why the monkey was unable to feed itself had been dismissed as a result of the increasing bokoblin attacks and skulltula population, however Link had been dissatisfied with that explanation. It was widely known that the monkeys of Faron were sturdy creatures, mischievous and not easily frightened and capable of defending themselves even against larger enemies, or at least agile enough to outrun and avoid them. What was more confusing, however, was that all the food burglaries had been carried out by only that one female monkey.

Link drew his sword as soon as the sun was blocked by the thickly grown trees of Faron Woods, and he shuddered with dread. Reluctantly he remembered Rusl's strict warning about entering the forest on his own.

Suddenly, a shriek resounded in the trees, and his ears perked up. Talo's voice! Epona snorted beneath him and sprang into a gallop at his command. He pressed his legs deeply into her sides, crouching low over her withers. Rusl's threat vanished from his mind; he would gladly jeopardise his trip to Hyrule if it meant keeping the children from harm.

The dark trees and leaves rushed past them, the chilly air of the shadowed forest whipping around Link's face. The Southern Road stretched out before them at the end of the narrow forest path, but there was no sign of the children. Link pulled gently on Epona's reins and she came to a halt at the junction.

"Talo! Malo, Beth!" he shouted, looking around desperately.

"Link?" Beth's quivering voice rang out close to him, and he jumped. The young girl came out of the coppice with Malo in tow, both looking as pale as ghosts with dirt covering their arms and knees. They must have been crawling in the soil.

"What happened?" Link asked as he jumped off and knelt before them to be at their eye level. Beth was crying, Malo just looked shocked.

"They have my brother," came his quiet reply.

"Who? Where did they go?" He had placed his hands on Beth's upper arms to calm her, gently shaking her. "Where are they?"

The girl pointed a quaking finger north, up the Southern Road. "Bo-boblins…" she stammered. "They attacked us and took Talo… They've got a wagon…"

Link nodded and turned to see a figure in the distance running towards them through the trees, a sword in their right hand. "Stay with Rusl, I'll be right back."

"Link, come back right now!"

Link ignored his foster father's call, jumping back onto Epona's saddle and hurrying along the path.

He had forgotten to strap on his bow; now he would have to fight those creatures in close combat. After only a few minutes of hard gallop, he suddenly perceived a foul smell in the wind and gurgling sounds over Epona's clomping hooves. As he raised his head to see better, he was surprised by a black form racing towards him, and he shouted out.

It jumped from atop a tree and landed right on top of him, sending him to the ground. Epona reared up and thrashed her legs about as he picked himself up. A raspy bellow sounded from the side, and he had just the time to raise his blade and protect his side from being punched by a heavy piece of wood.

"Link!" Talo's voice screamed out over the ruckus of barks and gurgles, and Link shoved his opponent away to glance around himself.

There was indeed a small wagon pulled by two bokoblins that were attached to it like draught animals. The other two that had attacked him were presumably acting as escorts. Talo was inside a wooden cage that stood on the cart, rattling the bars frantically, and curled up behind him was a furry creature.

The monkey! Link thought as he recognized the small animal with the red flower, and whirled around to parry a sudden blow from the blue monster that came running at him again with its brandished weapon. He hesitated, holding his blade up in defence; never had he taken a life with a sword before.

But his mind urged him to act as the bokoblin lunged, and Link closed his eyes. He yelled out, held the weapon away from his body, built up tension in his legs and torso, and catapulted the blade into the foe's side as hard as he could. The metal sliced through blue skin and red flesh, dark blood spurting out of the fatal wound and raining all over Link's body. He flailed his arms as he fell from the recoil of his attack. His enemy collapsed next to him.

"Look out!" Talo screeched, but Link had already seen the wooden club dashing for his head. He rolled to the side to avoid the blow and struck the monster with the tip of his sword right in the guts, causing blood to shoot out of its maw. He straightened when it fell over, feeling light-headed from the adrenaline.

Another bokoblin appeared in front of him and attempted a strike. This blow he saw too late, and he screamed out as the wood struck his right arm. The pair pulling the cart had detached themselves from their harness and were storming towards him, the first to reach him getting ready for another strike to Link's exposed middle. Then a pair of hooves collided with the bokoblin's midriff, sending it flying. Link cast a grateful smile at Epona who thundered after it, her hooves pounding, and chased it down the road away from the cage. That left one charging bokoblin.

Link brought up his weapon and knocked the monster over from the left, sending it tumbling over its two dead companions. He swirled the plain sword in his palm to make it point right at the chest of his opponent, shouting out a final time as he drove the steel through its heart.

Quaking, the bokoblin gurgled out, spasms shooting through its wretched body before it became still. Link was breathing hard, his hands trembling on the hilt of the blade he still held rooted in the creature's chest. As he pulled it out, a jet of blood shot out of the stab wound and made him tumble to the ground in fright.

"Link?" Talo's voice was small and scared.

"Don't look," said Link, forcing himself to remain calm. He sheathed his gun and hurried to the cage on the cart. "Close your eyes Talo, I'm here. Did they hurt you?"

"No, I'm okay. Please get me out of here," the boy whimpered, rattling the bars. Link briefly searched for an opening in the wooden structure, and finding none he pulled his blood-soaked blade out again and stepped back.

"Curl up like a beetle, okay, Talo? Close your eyes," he said, waiting for Talo to get down on the floor of the cage before taking the hilt in both hands and, with a grunt, smashing the sharp metal against the top of the bars.

Wood splinters flew away in all directions as well as the blade of his sword that shot into the undergrowth. "Dammit," he mumbled, scowling at the handle in his palm. Rusl had said it was not very strong, and now Link had demolished his first real sword after only one fight. His foster father would kill him; and not just because of the broken sword.

He tucked the useless handle into his belt and instead proceeded to pull apart the bars of the cage with his bare hands. The monkey squeaked in panic, punching Talo several times as she tried to get out on her own, and as Link finally broke enough bars away for them to crawl out, she flung herself at him, knocking him over. Without a glance back she fled into the woods.

Link found himself on the ground, sitting between the pieces of the broken cage as he looked after the escaping monkey. He was startled by Talo's short arms winding around his bloodstained waist.

Talo seemed to be too scared and tired to walk, so Link gently took him in his arms and made his way back down the Southern Road. Epona came trotting back shortly after and trudged behind him, looking spent. Her hooves were coated with dark blood, and Link made her a silent promise to clean her up as soon as they had made it back. She had a whole bushel of apples coming her way as praise for the courage she had shown. Which was likely not what Link believed he could expect once he ran into Rusl.

He felt tired, worn, and thirsty, the putrid taste of Bokoblin blood still clinging to his tongue. He perked up as his drawn-up ears heard quick footsteps, followed by the cracking of branches and loud panting. Behind a curve in the road he saw Rusl with Jaggle and Bo hurrying towards them.

"Gracious Din!" Rusl shouted and jumped into a run. Jaggle stopped short the moment he saw his son in Link's arms, looking lifeless at first sight. At his frightened look, Link quickly shook his head.

"Don't worry, he's all right."

The carpenter took Talo from Link's arms and held him firmly against his chest, laughing and crying simultaneously. "Great Nayru! Dornt ye ever drife sic' a fricht intae me again, Talo! Goddesses bless ye, Link."

Then Rusl grabbed Link by the arms and looked him over fearfully. "What's all this blood? You're hurt! Quick, sit down, I'll get Uli."

"No, I'm okay. Just a bruise, nothing serious."

"Then were does that blood come from?" Bo asked.

"He killed those mean monsters that wanted to eat us," Talo responded from his father's arms, wiping away tears. "He saved me and the monkey."

"I had to defend myself when they attacked me," Link explained, not fancying the idea of looking like a killer in their eyes. "They took me by surprise."

"You should never have run off on your own!" Rusl shouted. "I told you to stay where you were. You could have gotten killed!"

He was doing it again. Link flinched back out of pure instinct and instantly felt betrayed by his own respect for the older man. His hands balled, his brow lowering angrily.

"And leave Talo to be carted off?" he burst out. "I was responsible for his safety, and I made a mess of it. I had to bring him back. Epona and I were much quicker than you."

Rusl paused for a moment, his eyes wide and furious. He had not expected a retort, and Link found himself invigorated by his foster father's surprise.

"But you were not prepared to fight an entire group of them. Playing the hero is not your duty!" The smith's words were sharp with anger and intended to sting, causing Link's ears to draw back. He was not used to such outbursts from his father figure, and it fuelled his own fury all the more.

"But I did fight them, Rusl! I killed them all, without your or anyone else's help. I think I was more than prepared for it."

"You are being arrogant, Link. This kind of thinking is not what I taught you."

"What did you teach me then? That I should save myself instead of protecting those in danger?"

This time Rusl's voice rose to a roar. "I taught you that when I tell you something, you obey, son!"

"Don't call me that! You are not my—"

Link stopped himself, Rusl's astonished look making him lower his eyes. An awkward silence fell over them in which Jaggle and his son looked back and forth between them. The mayor quickly intervened by ushering the two along the path.

"I thought you were more responsible than this," the blacksmith finally said, his voice shaking. With visible effort he forced his anger to simmer down, and instead reached for a hug. "I'm just glad you're safe—"

Link stepped back and pushed the man's arms away. "I broke your sword, I'm sorry," he said, and placed the severed handle into Rusl's hand before turning away to follow the others back to the village.

0

Their return caused no small amount of clamour among the villagers roused from their work by the news and gathered at the gate. Link was subjected to concerned prodding and questioning and had to retell his pursuit and the killing several times, accepting incessant words of thank you and praise, before he was allowed to leave for his home and change. Jaggle relieved him of the task of washing off the blood on Epona's legs and promised to take care of her bushel of apples as well. Link's mood, however, had been tainted by his argument with Rusl, and he washed his bloodied clothes in a gloomy silence.

"Don't take it so to heart, Link," Ilia told him from where she sat on a rug scrubbing his soiled sandals. She had come over to help him with his preparations. "True, you shouldn't have snapped at him, but he's a grown-up, he can take it."

"I just wish he would stop treating me like a child," Link answered and hung his hands in the cold water. "But I guess I still acted like one. I shouldn't have…" He sighed, recalling the tone of his own voice which had sounded so foreign to him. His anger forcing him to—almost—state that one cruel truth he had vowed never to hurl in Rusl's face again; anything, to hurt him back. Childish.

"I was just trying to help, and he didn't see that."

"What you did was reckless, and you said things only a brat would say," she admitted, earning a scowl from him, "But in the end you did the right thing, and he should be grateful to you. I don't even want to think about what could have happened to Talo if you hadn't found him in time. Those beasts could have taken him Nayru knows where."

Link smiled, running a hand through his hair still drying from its wash. The two thick strands hanging in front of his Hylian ears and framing his cheeks were still dripping. Ilia watched him while he resumed his work, resting her gaze on the tip of his right ear showing through his mid-long hair.

When he was younger, his hair used to reach to his shoulders. Colin had once told her that Link had let it grow so he could hide the four inch ears beneath them, hoping to look more like a Human. That had not satisfied him for long, however, for the stubborn tips had found a way to poke through regardless of what he did to conceal them. He had cut the rest shorter but for the two strands.

She sighed. Those graceful pointy ears of his had caused him grief ever since she knew him. They were what set him apart from the other villagers, for they were the most prominent feature of his that instantly showed he was not a Human like her or the others. The time he learned that he was adopted had been horrible, and not only for Link. Ilia, being his best friend since they could walk, had been the one to find him in this very tree, crying and telling her to go away. She had been appalled to find his right ear bleeding, the pointed auricle bearing a minor cut. He had attempted to get rid of the excessive skin and cartilage that composed his Hylian ears, thinking that he might only be a true part of Ordon's townsfolk without them. His common sense and profuse pain had prevented him from finishing the deed, to the great relief of the entire village. After that, her father had ceremoniously girded him with his own traditional garbs and had apprenticed him on Fado's ranch so that he would finally feel like a genuine Ordonian. This, and the building of his new home, had gradually healed the wounds, leaving behind only bad memories. They were still remembered sometimes when he was sad and his ears lowered, revealing the long scar on his right auricle.

"So, are you excited to leave for Hyrule?" she asked, avoiding his eyes.

A woeful look spread across his face. "It's all I've been able to think about. I've dreamt of this my whole life, but after what happened today, I'm not even sure if Rusl will let me leave."

"Oh, come on now. Rusl can't keep you here against your will, especially not now since Dad already appointed you as his representative and all."

Link scrunched up his face as if hearing a very dissonant melody. "Rusl… kind of told me he'll make me stay if I run into the forest on my own again."

"It'll be fine, Link, I'm sure of it."

She smiled, albeit forcibly. If she was being honest with herself, she wasn't too keen on Link leaving Ordon, especially now after the frightening attack and Talos kidnapping. But she knew any attempt at persuading him to stay would go unheeded. His attempts at concealing his true nature were just his ways of trying to fit into a place he did not truly belong in. Hyrule, far to the north and grand beyond anything she was able to imagine, had forever called to him. It would be unjust of her to deny him his wish, even though she feared the consequences of the visit more than she feared begging him to stay.

Her apprehension, however, grew too much to ignore. She just had to hear him say he'd return.

"But, if you really like it in Hyrule, would you want to stay there? Like, forever?"

"Well…" He frowned and looked down at his soaked clothes. "I've never really thought about it." She knew he was lying.

Then he shook his head and gave her a bright grin. "No, that's nonsense. Hyrule may be my birth place, but Ordon is my home. Besides, you'd give me hell if I ever decided to leave you and the others behind."

"You're damn right about that," she answered, her look darting to a bucket of water standing by the fireplace. With Link once more busy kneading his clothes, she crept up to him and flung the content into his face.

"What the—Ilia!" he cried and lunged for her. She was doubling up with laughter and turned towards the barrel where Link kept his fresh drinking water, dipping the pail into it. Link raised his hands as she advanced on him with her weapon raised. "No no no! Don't you—"

Another waterfall of cold greeted him along with shrill giggles. He sputtered and coughed, pulling his soaked hair out of his face. She turned around to repeat when his arms wrapped around her and pulled her towards him, dislodging the bucket from her hands. He pulled her backwards, but she surprised him by spinning around and ploughing headlong into him. Yelling and laughing they both tumbled to the ground.

"Let this be a reminder," she panted, lying on his stomach and looking down at his beautiful, grinning face. "Knights get slapped to remember their oath. Well, you get soaked instead. You're coming back as soon as you're done with that ceremony, and don't you dare get yourself hurt out there, because Rusl is right."

His smile faded when he saw her urgent look. "What do you mean?"

"You weren't prepared to fight these Bokoblins alone, and you really could have gotten killed. Link, if something were to happen to you, how do you think I would feel?"

He stayed quiet for a moment, his arms still wrapped around her. She felt her heart pound more heavily as she realised just how close she was to him. Her cheeks began to glow.

"I think you would be really mad at me," he murmured. "You would call me reckless, and stupid, and probably even stop being friends with me."

His hand glided up her shoulder to rest on the back of her head, and gently he lowered her forehead to his lips, giving her a soft peck. The gesture made her feel dizzy.

"Then I'm giving you my promise that I'll come back to you, as unhurt as I can," he said, looking deeply into her eyes. Then he grinned once more, lifting his head and shaking his soaked hair to send a spray of droplets into her face.

"You just can't stay serious, can you?" she giggled and hugged him despite his wetness.

Just as she had been the one to know his feelings in the past, so had he always known to discern hers. His absence would open a void in her she was afraid to face, but knowing he would do his best to come back to her, unscathed, settled her to a point where she felt more or less untroubled in seeing him go.

His display of affection, however, perplexed her, for never had he shown this kind of tenderness to anyone else in the village—with the exception of his horse, of course. Thinking of the mare, she realised that Epona was indeed the only one in the hamlet whom he openly cared for.

And it made her wonder if he could care as much for a person as he cared for his horse.

She shook her head at her own foolishness; of course he could. The children held a very special place in his heart, otherwise he would not have rushed off into battle with no concern for his own safety to keep Talo from coming to harm. Colin was his little brother whom he would protect with more than just his life. Rusl and Uli were the ones who had raised him, had taught him all he knew, and had set him free when he needed it most. Even her father, the mayor, held Link's utmost respect and loyalty, not to mention a relationship much resembling that of an uncle. And Ilia…

Ilia was his best friend, with whom he would spend all the moments he did not spend working, or hunting, or playing with the children, or by his lonesome self. Long nights of talking and reading, afternoons of cooking and playing, mornings spent chasing each other across the goat pastures, counted among the fondest memories she'd made with him. He had taken her on rides in their free time, or on walks through the forest and mountains, or proudly shown off his newest sword technique he had learned from Rusl. He had comforted her when she thought of her mother, gone too soon. She had consoled him when he felt like no one in the village truly understood him. Because she did. Sometimes.

But not always.

Why had he kissed her forehead?

Did it mean something? He had never done anything like that before…

She became aware of the mess she had made, and cringed. "Sorry about the water… Shall I help you clean up?"

"Oh, don't worry about it," he chuckled. "I wanted to wipe the floor anyway before I left for Hyrule."

Disentangling herself from his embrace, she stood up. She felt pleasantly light on her feet. "Then I think I'll go now, I've still got some work to do, myself."

Link lifted his brows as he stood up. "I thought you were done for the day."

"Well, almost. And besides, I think packing your bags for a long trip should be something you do in private, with no one around who could change your mind about leaving."

He smiled, but his brows furrowed slightly with confusion. She averted her eyes and quickly turned around to walk towards the door. Yes, still the old, innocent Link.

What had she expected? She would not be enough to keep him from going, not when the destination was his lifelong dream come true. And as much as she tried to ignore it, she could not prevent the pain this certainty caused within her. Would he meet other Hylians in Castle Town and get along with them? What if he found a young, pretty Hylian girl?

Instead she hurried down the ladder and gave Epona a quick pet before walking back towards the village. At the hill she turned and saw him standing by the door. Gathering her courage, she smiled and waved.

"I'll see you tomorrow!"

Yet the nagging feeling of uncertainty followed her on her way home, an urge to run back to Link's house and bolt it from the outside, preventing him from ever leaving until the danger in the forest was over.

Until she had deciphered the meaning of his kiss for herself first.

0

Night fell over Ordon, and Link was terribly nervous; he stumbled through his home as if he had never set foot in it, things were tipped from their shelves accidentally while he packed a saddlebag with what he would bring along to Hyrule. His beloved flute did not fit into the bag, so he admitted regretfully that he had to leave it behind. But he took a roll of parchment and a pencil with him; if he encountered musicians in Castle Town—which was certain due to the sheer size of the city—he would write down tunes he did not know yet. A few rags for washing and a bar of soap were also among his luggage, as well as his flint and some tinder. Food he would take tomorrow, for Sera had insisted on packing his other saddlebag with what he would need as a thank you for having brought her daughter Beth back safe and sound.

And all the while, the nagging thought of maybe having to unpack it all once he spoke to Rusl again made him even edgier.

It was late evening when he opened his door at a knock from Uli. She was holding a basket filled with a few of her most prized glass bottles, causing Link's eyes to go wide; quality glass was horrendously expensive but by far the best material to keep medicine in, and the smith's wife had over time honed her medical and herbal knowledge to earn among the villagers the title of unofficial physician. Weak iodine tincture for disinfecting was among the bottles she picked out and pushed in his direction.

"No, no, I don't want to hear it," she cut through his reassurances and quiet attempts to convince her that cough drops would truly not be necessary on a week's trip. "You will thank me later. Link, just take them with you, goodness me."

In the end he was forced to oblige, and another knock sounded while he struggled to fit the six flasks he had grudgingly accepted into the saddlebag. To his renewed dread, it was Rusl who entered the glowing radius of the hearth's firelight, a sword and sheath in his hands as well as a bulging rupee pouch Link had not seen before at his belt. The smith looked somewhat flustered, not quite willing to meet Link's eyes, and his behaviour only augmented Link's own unease; they had separated without another word after returning to the village.

Uli fixed her husband with a look that could have shattered rocks until Rusl, reddening, took a deep breath and extended the weapon. "Harold insisted you take his sword on your journey since, you know, you broke yours today, which is fine, don't worry about it, and I shouldn't have yelled at you because you were only trying to help and, really…" He visibly composed himself, and hung his head. "I was just worried about you. I'm truly sorry. I should not have spoken to you like I did."

Link felt Uli's blistering gaze then linger on him, and he hastily accepted the blade. "Thank you, and I'm sorry too, Rusl, for what I said. I didn't mean it."

"There you go, was that so hard?" Uli chuckled and drew them both into a tight hug that made the two men awkwardly bend around her bulging, pregnant belly. Link felt beyond silly about his earlier nervousness, and drew comfort in the fact that his surrogate father surely felt the same.

"So… I'm truly allowed to leave for Hyrule, then?" he asked after Uli freed them both once more. "Even after what happened today?"

Rusl's brow lifted. "Would Uli give you her precious medicine bottles if you weren't leaving? Would the mayor have told everyone in Ordon to cart their broken tools to my doorstep to be repaired first thing tomorrow morning? We've all accounted for your absence for at least a week, depending on how long you're willing to stay in Hyrule. I can't just step all over everyone's plans just because you disobeyed my orders and nearly got yourself killed again."

Uli tapped his chest and pulled a face. With a harrumph Rusl continued. "What I really want to say is that I am very proud of you. Today, you've proven that you are a true swordsman, and that I have taught you well. You deserve something better than this."

He indicated Harold's blade, similar in quality to the weapon Link had smashed. From his belt he then retrieved the pouch and placed it into Link's hands. It jingled as Link opened it, red light beaming from the fourteen shimmering rupees that lay inside. His eyes went wide; they were worth a fabulous twenty rupees each. He let a few pour into his hand and watched them glisten in his hearth's crackling firelight.

"It's too much," he said, staring at his surrogate parents. "I can't take them!"

"We insist," Rusl answered. "Where you are going, you will need more than what you've saved up in your rupee chest. The road is long, you will need to buy more food on the way, and Epona will need shelter in Castle Town as well."

Link had not thought about the price of his trip to Hyrule. With thirty rupees he would have made it to Palaguard and perhaps to one of the farming villages on the way to Castle Town before his funds ran out. Accommodation was, beside buying food and fodder for a horse, the next highest expense, and in Hyrule, everything was pricey. It was the one thing he begrudged the Hylians for and where he thought without qualm like a true Ordonian; many long discussions with Rusl, and eye-opening revelations about the scandalous prices of iron ore, had seen to that.

But the pouch contained two hundred and eighty rupees, a small fortune.

"It's what we saved up for you over the years," Rusl explained. "That's what parents do, isn't it?"

Link grimaced, looking at Rusl's purposefully lifted brows; Link's slip-up from earlier clearly still hurt. He hoped his silent apology was conveyed in his pacifying smile.

"It is our job to make sure that you can start your adult life properly," Uli continued. "Rusl and I agreed that, with your upcoming journey, now was the perfect time to give them to you."

"And the most renowned master smiths are in Castle Town," Rusl added, a trifle peevish. "For a hundred rupees you can find a good one-hander there. It won't be folded steel, but it will be from your homeland. And it might even have some frivolity like gems in the pommel or an engraved ricasso, perhaps some silly embossing on the quillon—"

"Rusl," Uli snapped. "Link may buy whatever he likes with his money."

"Yes, yes…"

"Just because you do not value decorations—"

"Thank you, really," Link hastened to intervene. "But I wouldn't buy a sword that I knew you didn't like, Rusl. I'd much rather have a sword you made for me."

"In the end, it doesn't matter what you do with the rupees," the blacksmith said, but he smiled at Link's diplomatic response. "They are yours."

At least now, everything was settled. Link could safely depart for Hyrule knowing that he and Epona would not go hungry, and even had enough money to bring back a keepsake. He still felt undeserving of such a large sum—money that would have much better served Rusl and Uli and their yet unborn child. But receiving their first red rupees from their parents was as much a tradition among Ordonians as goat breeding, even if Link had not truly expected to ever benefit from it, being—in his eyes—only a foundling. Fado had gotten the same amount from his parents before they died, and Moe had once told him that he still owned one of the fourteen red rupees he had received from Harold and Gertie for his coming of age.

But the best part was still to come. After Rusl and Uli had wished him a good night, he emptied the content of his new wallet onto the table. The fourteen red rupees looked magnificent as they fluoresced a bright crimson on the wood, the wealth in front of him causing him to stare for a while. He then slid down the ladder to his basement, lighting a lantern and approaching the chest where he kept his modest savings embedded in the finest wool cloth he had found at Sera's.

For the gem-like currency presented a few peculiarities. Depending on the value, rupees would display a certain colour and weight: the green rupee was worth one and fairly light, the blue worth five, the yellow worth ten and thus heavier in comparison. They were about as large as the yolk of an egg and harder than stone, yet when the need occurred they would either melt together like water drops in a puddle, or split apart without ever showing a fracture. Rupees changed their form and colour instantly, without prompt, whenever a business situation demanded it.

This complacent and convenient behaviour came at a price, however. Rupees were squeamish about the wallet or pouch they were kept in and shunned, for reasons yet to discover, any receptacle that either presented possible traces of neglect and shabbiness, or was deemed too small. One would fail miserably trying to fit ten purple rupees—worth fifty each—into a wallet they felt fit for only nine, and the excess would fall out even if the pouch was tightly sealed and had space left for twenty more. Link didn't know how they did it, for he had yet to see a rupee jump, but the danger was present and quite real. Traders willing to avoid the inconvenience of fleeing currency would make sure to store their rupees in special-made rupee wallets and refrain from excessive greed; their livelihood could very well depend on it.

Link retrieved his savings before locking the chest and returned to his table, hanging the lantern next to the crockery shelf. The rupees in his hand shone brighter as if sensing the presence of their comrades. But he wanted to see them come to life and assemble before his very eyes. There was nothing more fascinating than seeing two rupees merge and become a new one.

He sat down at the table, looking briefly at his meagre economies of three yellow rupees, a sum he had assembled over a number of years. He jumped as two of them moved closer in his palm, melting in the blink of an eye to form a red one. The third yellow jewel remained still.

Link then took the newborn crimson gem and placed it right in the middle of the fourteen others. His eyes shimmered in wonder as all the jewels began to glow on the table, preparing for the ultimate fusion. Suddenly they imploded in unison, and only a little pop was heard before the new rupee came to a standstill before him.

The young Hylian chuckled in amazement. There lay a fiery gem of pure orange, pulsing with a heartbeat of light like red hot embers. He took it carefully, lifting his brows at the sheer weight it had. This one was worth the incredible sum of three hundred rupees, and he was its proud owner. It was the start of his fortune, his livelihood. His future.

At that moment he was perhaps not the richest Hylian in the world, but most certainly the happiest.

0

Through the little window, the first rays of sunlight danced into the house and illuminated the entire tree in the most beautiful shades of orange and white. As Link opened his eyes, he was blinded by a beam flowing across his face, making him blink. The day outside promised to be wonderful, as he noticed after drawing himself up and gazing out of the window. The spruces adjoining his yard swayed gently in the mild morning breeze, birds sang merrily to greet the sun rising in the east. As a gust of wind ruffled his hair, he closed his eyes to enjoy its soft touch, filling his lungs entirely.

Then he remembered that Fado awaited him on the ranch at first sunlight, cursed softly, and jumped out of bed. While he was slipping into his baggy brown pants and white, sleeveless shirt and groping with his toes for his leather sandals, the booming voice of his master already drifted up to the window, calling him to work.

The morning dragged on so painfully slowly that Link had to busy himself with washing one goat after the other and polishing their striped, curved horn until it gleamed like greased leather. He passed a large bone comb through their long bluish fur, and was knocked over several times by the more capricious animals after attempting to scrub them behind the ears. Fado was doubling up by then and finally allowed his apprentice to leave at midday.

"Bugger aff awreddy, Ah cannae watch this onie mair!" he roared amid brays of laughter. "Bo shoods be ready tae meet ye by noo."

Mayor Bo, Rusl, and Jaggle stood waiting by the mayor's large house, deep in conversation, while Ilia leaned on the porch railing and looked up nervously as she saw Link trot down from the ranch, Epona beneath him tossing her head in greeting. Jaggle was holding the finished shield, wrapped carefully in oilskin, in his wrinkly hands. Rusl had his arms folded, a large scabbard strapped to his back.

"So, son, it's finally time," he said as Link dismounted.

"Yeah," Link answered, not quite successful in containing his excited grin. "Is this the sword, then?"

The blacksmith smiled and unsheathed the shimmering blade that would be Ordon's gift of loyalty to the royal family. It was a rustically crafted weapon with a solid steel cross-guard and a grip wrapped in leather. The pommel was fig-shaped, its only decoration a small cavity in the centre that caught the sunlight and made it gleam like a pearl. Staying true to his principles, Rusl had foregone the addition of ornaments and even a ricasso; it was a demanding weapon meant to be used as a one-hander only. Link could not take his eyes off of it.

"You made this…" he muttered.

Rusl nodded, handing him the blade. "Here. This is what a real sword feels like."

Link accepted the weapon and supported it with two hands, the men flocking around him and murmuring approvingly. It was heavy, but not as much as he had expected. The leather wrapping felt warm and soft in his palm, the blade carefully counterbalanced by the weight of the pommel. He brought it to his nose and sniffed the handle. It smelled familiar.

"Ordon goat horn for the handle," Rusl said, and Link only beamed more.

They almost missed the heavy clomping arising from behind the gathering and the hissed, mumbled words of anger. Bo was the first to turn and protest, causing the others to look up to see Ilia trudging away with Epona in tow.

"Ilia! Where are you going?" her father called.

She spun around and pointed an accusing finger at Link. "Epona's not going! She's hurt and I'm taking her to the spring."

Link frowned. "What?"

He handed the sword back to Rusl and dashed after Ilia; if he wanted to reach Bando Port before nightfall he would have to leave soon.

"Link, what did you do?" Rusl called after him.

The young man turned and shrugged before sprinting after Ilia. She was now hurrying towards the exit of Ordon, Epona trotting calmly after her, and the few remaining residents ready to see Link off looked after them in wonder.

He caught up with her in front of his house. The children were there also, playing with Link's training puppet, and looked up the moment the two youths arrived.

"Oh, you're leaving already, Link?" Beth asked, scrutinising the bare saddle on Epona's back. "Where's all your stuff?"

"You!" Ilia yelled as Link grabbed her arm. "You were jumping fences again, weren't you? Epona is hurt, you idiot! And you wanted to take her to Hyrule like that?"

"She's not hurt, I would have seen it," Link countered and positioned himself in front of his mare, spreading out his arms. "You can't take her away now, I have to go."

"Yeah, you have to go! What about Epona? What about me?!" Ilia screamed, tossing her arms down in fury.

Link winced as her shrill scream hurt his sensitive ears. The children flinched back, looking between them in turns.

"Ilia, I'll be gone for just a few days, then I'll come back, I promise," Link said calmly, taking a step in her direction. Ilia snorted and pulled on Epona's reins to stomp past Link. However, the red horse nickered and jerked her head into the air, jostling the reins out of Ilia's hand and stepping towards her master.

The fair-haired girl watched her as the mare nudged him, her angry countenance dissipating to be replaced by sadness.

"Are you going to let me down too, Epona?"" she said, lowering her head in shame.

"Of course not, Ilia, but she's confident that it'll be all right," Link answered.

He patted Epona's neck before stepping towards Ilia and placing his hands on her shoulders.

"I'll be back before you can even start to miss me, Ilia."

To his surprise she wrapped her long, thin arms around his waist and nuzzled her head into his chest. His heart felt pleasantly warm.

"Please take care of yourself," she murmured. "Just come home safely…"

The Hylian smiled as she looked up at him with tears in her eyes. But through her worry soon emerged the sly grin he knew so well from her.

"I'll do my best," Link answered, mirroring her smirk.

She punched him lightly in the stomach before stepping back. "In that case, I have something for you—"

She broke off as Epona suddenly whinnied and began sauntering nervously. Link rushed towards her and grabbed the reins, caressing her muzzle to calm her. But the horse backed away from him, spooked.

A cloud was passing by overhead and caused the sun to briefly disappear. A chilly wind rose and swept through the branches, making them shudder. Link tried in vain to calm his mare, when his feet began to perceive a queer sensation on the earthy ground. At the same time, a low rumbling and cracking arose in the distant forest.

"What is that?" Talo's voice rang out, sounding oddly muffled by the droning that came nearer still. Link handed the panicky horse to Ilia and carefully stepped onto the path that led out of Ordon. The ground was now quaking faintly beneath his sandals and made him look at his feet worriedly.

"I don't know. I think it's best if you go back to the village—" He could not speak further, for his voice was suddenly cut off by a gurgling shriek in the coppice, followed by the droning that approached and morphed into the sound of galloping hooves.

The girls shrieked as a shadow was cast over Link. He could only stare at the gigantic black beasts thundering up the path and lunging at him. He dodged the enormous, thrashing legs on pure instinct.

Green creatures with glowing red eyes stared at him from astride the beasts, their faces partly hidden behind dark veils. The children's screams of terror echoed in the spruces and swept into Ordon Village like a nightmarish chant.

000