Prologue: The Silent Shepherd
In times immemorial, when Chaos ruled the emptiness of the universe, three divine apostles blessed by the Gods forged a world as a reflection of the heavenly realm they treaded upon.
From her delicate and adept fingers, Din shaped the earth, flooded the oceans, erected its mountains, crafting a land of natural wonders. Using her creative and overflowing imagination, Farore breathed life and soul into its various plants and beasts. Finally, Nayru's orderly mind taught them the doctrines of justice and law, so that they sought harmony and prosperity.
Such goes the legend of Hyrule's origins, passed down from mothers to children of the Royal Family.
The young auburn-haired man shielded his face from the light breeze as it sped to a sudden cold gust of wind. Daytime neared twilight, the sunrays faded behind orange hues on the horizon.
"We should get back," he pondered.
His proud steed neighed softly, as if to answer her master's thought. The horseman dismounted and headed towards the two dozen goats that were grazing on grass for hours in a meadow at the crossroads of a dense, green forest and a vast, azure lake. From his pocket, he drew a small wind flute, shaped in the form of a thick, wooden horseshoe adorned with abstract drawings. The loud, screeching sound that came out of it dragged the caprine away from their feast. A few seconds later, they obeyed the musical command, gathering together and starting towards the stables below the hills. Satisfied, the shepherd got back onto Epona and kept guiding the beasts on their way home.
"Hey, Link! Over here!"
The man turned to the fields on his left and caught sight of Malon hopping and waving happily at him. Bemused, Link hastened to his childhood friend's side as she harnessed the five horses she usually took care of back at the Lon Lon Ranch.
"Ready to depart?" she asked with the brightest smile.
She pulled on the reins she was holding, not waiting for his reply as she knew full well that Link would not. Since his youngest days, he was unable to speak. His inborn muteness allowed him only the faintest and most unrecognizable of cries, and many would not understand him if not for his expressive gestures. Thus, he only communicated using rudimentary sign language, though his reserved character did not help him much in holding a conversation with a stranger. Malon was one of the very few people who managed to read him. Was it because of their close relationship or a natural talent of hers? No one could really tell.
"I hope tomorrow comes fast!" she added cheerfully. "Don't you?"
Link nodded vehemently. He may appear unconcerned more often than not, but as for the upcoming journey ahead, he could not hide his excitement. His reaction delighted Malon who chuckled lovingly and mockingly.
"How lucky for you to have your first time at the Citadel during the Maskfest! This will make for a memorable day!"
The shepherd felt his cheeks burn before the maiden's infectious bliss. A little embarrassed yet as happy as she was, he calmly reminded her of their duties. They still had to bring the goats and the stallions back to the Ranch. Malon picked up the pace, though that did not stop her teasing.
They did not extend on the subject, aware that they would have much more time discussing that on the morrow. For the next twenty or so minutes, they made small talk, reviewed the booming business of the Ranch, studied the steeds they had raised for the royal garrison and inquired about each other's neighborhood affairs. Intimate as they were, Link and Malon lived in opposite ends of the village of Toal. Because of that, they had to update each other every now and then to keep up with the most recent news.
"Oh, I totally forgot!" Malon shouted abruptly. "Silly me, how could I! We'll be able to see your sister, won't we? How long has it been since she's gone to the military academy…? Six years already?"
The memories of Linkle awakened inside Link with a sting of nostalgia. Indeed, six long years had passed since he had last seen his twin. Six long years since she had decided to enroll on a whim, to her brother's dismay. Many onlookers had criticized her leaving and deemed it an act of egoism, impulsiveness, irresponsibility and a cruel way to leave her only family behind.
However, Link never blamed her for her choice. He knew she was following her heart, whatever the reason could be. The two orphans had led a monotonous, uneventful life all those years, attending to the local teachings every morning and helping in the fields past noon. While the boy always kept his feet on the ground, the girl dreamt big and had the guts to chase even the craziest of her ideals. And it did not take her long to do so.
To be perfectly honest, he truly wanted to see her again and catch up. How the fabled "city life" had changed her, he could only wonder until then.
He was going to answer Malon's question when another gust lashed them so hard he had to hold on tightly to Epona's reins and she to the side of another horse. The freezing wind clawed at the naked skin on their arms and legs, howling in unison with the frightened animals, sending a crippling chill down their spine.
When he could finally lift his head up, Link witnessed the goats and horses writhing like fish out of water, their march halting to a shivering dread. The shepherd immediately calmed his steed down, rode her around the terrified beasts and played a soothing song on his mystical flute. His efforts were soon rewarded as the caprine ceased their stomping to watch him blissfully. As for their equine brethren, they curled up around Malon who petted them with all the affection she could muster despite her own anguish.
One of the goats suddenly cried out of a fear so intense it was almost palpable. Link looked away and saw a pack of wolves coming out of the woods. Their bloodshot and threatening eyes stumbled upon the defenseless goats and they growled hungrily, teeth bared and drooling, as sharp as a dragon's. The four canines approached slowly, gauging the best moment to pounce, the one moment when distress would hit its limit and prompt their prey to flee in a panic.
"Link! Be careful!"
Malon could not do more than worry for the brave man who launched himself into the fray, bow ready to shoot. His arrow hit the nearest wolf on the head, piercing its brain. The beast rolled backwards in a whirlwind of blood, moaning in agony. The other three wolves jumped towards Link in a vengeful frenzy, but Epona forked backwards to put distance between Link and her and the savages without impacting her rider's line of sight.
The hunter struck another wolf in the eye, put his bow away and unsheathed his militia sword. He jumped to the ground and faced the two remaining monsters. The fastest and most enraged of them jumped erratically, searching for a weak spot in Link's defenses. The other one, treading cunningly, circumvented both of them to strike from behind. Unfortunately, Epona obstructed its path, perceiving its malicious intent, and prevented it from succeeding in its plan.
Taking advantage from that respite, Link stepped forward at the same time the nasty hound got tired of waiting and strode towards him, fangs ready to bite. Link skillfully dodged at the last moment, the carnivore's maw almost snapping his left arm in two. His sword slashed his opponent on its side. Dark blood oozed out from the gaping wound, forming a puddle of viscous liquid which doubled in volume as Link's weapon impaled the wolf's neck. At the sight of the massacre, the surviving member of the pack wailed in misery, filled with rage and regrets, then turned and dashed back to its sylvester lair.
The fight ended swiftly and without a hitch. Link and Epona valiantly triumphed, protecting the herd. Still, Link sensed a persisting danger not far. For the goats and horses to all quake in fear simultaneously, as if united as a single cell, one extremely dangerous predator must have appeared in the vicinity. What's more, the mere presence of a pack of wolves outside of their territory was a rare enough occurrence to underline. What monstrosity could force them to invade the fields they so carefully avoided since their kin got slaughtered by the militia years ago?
"Link! Is everything all right?"
Malon hurried over, pale and astounded. In her rush, she tripped on a rock and Link moved over to catch her. She pulled herself together and embraced Link so close she took his breath away.
"My goodness, Link, you're way too reckless!" she lamented. "Rushing headfirst against feral wolves! Fortunately, you're not hurt… How is Epona? Did she suffer any damage?"
The mare neighed and bent her head to let the maiden stroke her wavy mane. She was unharmed and well. Relieved, Malon suddenly crouched, head in hands, surrendering to the pressure accumulated in the last minutes. Link grabbed her shoulder gently, apologizing for upsetting her. He promised to act more cautiously in the future and that seemed to give her peace of mind, although her body kept shuddering with discomfort. Link offered his arm to support her, she declined promptly but this kind gesture was enough to calm her down.
They then resumed their walk back to the Ranch, the caprine herd following them hesitantly, Epona and the other steeds bringing up the rear. Nothing else happened then and this traumatizing day ended with the usual trip to the drinking trough. The poor goats quenched their thirst before they went to the stables to rest. Satisfied, Link and Malon decided to prepare the caravan for their journey the next morning before it got too dark, physical labor drowning their lingering doubts. Heavy crates full of the renowned Lon Lon Milk were pressed together on the biggest cart and the second, smaller one was pretty loaded as well when they finished with the lying merchandise boxes containing some of the Ranch's famous products.
"Oh, so that's where you two kept busy," a voice said behind them.
Ingo was observing them completing the task that was not theirs, and as thankful for their help as he was, annoyance took over his features soon after. His thoughts had just wandered to the owner of the Ranch, who excelled in skipping work.
"We can't ever trust him to get everything sorted in time," he grumbled. "I'm very grateful for your assistance, thank you both."
"Pleasure's ours, mister Ingo!" Malon beamed. "You wouldn't happen to have seen my father, have you?"
"I've been looking for him for over an hour!" the manager exploded, his thin mustache quivering with rage. "We still have to catalog everything we're bringing to the Citadel and estimate all the costs and benefits and whatnot! And no one seems to know where he could have gone!"
"He's probably napping in the shade again. Would you mind if I take a look?"
"Curse him and his laziness! I suppose I don't really have a choice, if you could…"
Having absolutely no flair for business, Link put the last crates on the cart and swiftly took his leave while Malon and Ingo were studying two pieces of paper covered with diagrams and numbers. He rode out on Epona towards Toal where his bed awaited him. On the way, Link could not help wondering about his unlikely skirmish. His gut feeling told him this would neither be the last case, nor his last encounter with such weird events. He feared for the security of the Ranch, as none of its employees could defend the farm besides him. In the long run, this would pose a serious problem they needed to solve.
That issue stayed in his mind until he reached his home, way out of the village center plaza, and still bothered him during his meal and right before he went to sleep. Of course, the kingdom could not afford sending its patrols so far in as peaceful a province as Ordinn. Furthermore, amidst the locals, only a handful could fend for themselves and the youth who had potential would most likely settle in to the capital city, like her sister did.
He was about to give up, yet this last realization sparked some kind of hope. He lay down on his sheets and his eyes turned to the letter on his nightstand. With an eager motion, he quickly grabbed it and read it once more, smiling at the messy and stiff writing, smiling at Linkle's invitation to spend the day with her and Malon at the Maskfest.
"Maybe she'll know what to do in my stead."
Lighthearted, Link meditated over the idea. His last thoughts went to his sister. How much could she have changed since they had last seen each other? He fell asleep remembering all the pranks and antics she had pulled on him before she left.
