To Capture the Heart of a Hero
Chapter 33 – Goat Herding
Link went to fetch Epona, and then led Zelda towards the ranch. They followed a dirt path up a hill past the Mayor's house, before finally arriving at a wide grassy field. Much like the village, this place seemed to be mostly free of trees, and they could easily see the numerous hills that dotted the landscape around them. It was also another great opportunity to view the beautiful blue sky above.
Scanning the field, Zelda spotted a great number of goats within a fenced-in perimeter. They were spread out from one end to the other, all with their heads bowed low in order to enjoy the nutritious feed at their feet. As she stood there, she managed to hear more than a few content bleats echo out into the air.
"So this is your old workplace, huh?" Zelda asked, turning to the Hero.
Link shrugged. "Old, current, and with how much Fado asks for help, probably my future workplace as well."
Zelda frowned. "Does he ask for help that often?"
"You'd be surprised at how little the goats care to listen to him."
Zelda just raised her eyebrows, wondering how a man like that had ever been chosen to oversee the ranch in the first place.
"I don't mind though," Link continued with a smile. "It's simple work, and it always gives me and Epona a chance to ride around together."
As if on cue, Epona whinnied from behind her master. Link just laughed as he glanced back.
"Sounds like someone's excited," he noted.
"So how does it work?" Zelda asked, turning her attention back to the animals. "How do you make the goats listen to you?"
"It's pretty simple," Link explained. "It's really not much different from commanding a horse. You just have to make sure that you use specific noises and motions to communicate with them. To make sure that they understand you."
"What kind of noises?" Zelda inquired, growing curious.
"It can be anything, really. As long as it is a sharp, clear sound. You just need to be stern with them. Make sure that they hear your call and know that it is not to be disobeyed." Link then smiled before laughing a bit. "That's why Fado tends to have so much trouble with them. He's not stern enough to earn the goats' respect."
"Ah, I see…" Zelda replied, also smiling. "I must say, it reminds me of how one should conduct themselves when speaking in the court. You should always be strict and clear in what you are trying to convey." The Princess then paused before turning to the Hero with a playful smile. "I'm a bit surprised. I had no idea that you had such a skillset safely tucked away in your repertoire. Although, something tells me that you would have a much harder time handling the court nobles than you do these goats."
Link just frowned at both her words and her expression. He didn't particularly care to be reminded of his general behavior at the castle in this moment. Especially when he was about to go out and start confidently herding these goats around as he so often did.
"You'll see," he said bravely, before mounting himself on Epona's saddle.
Zelda just smirked some more, amused with herself for successfully managing to toy with the Hero. She wasn't trying to be cruel, of course. She was simply hoping to encourage him in her own unique way, with some harmless vocal prodding. And now, seeing the confident look on his face as he rode atop his horse, she felt like she had succeeded.
At this point, Fado ended up spotting them from the barn and soon ran over to greet them. "Heeeeyyy!" he called in his loud, trademark tone. "Thanks again for coming, Link. I really appreciate-"
However, he soon stopped in his tracks as he spotted the woman standing next to the Hero. His eyes immediately went wide and his mouth fell open in shock. "What the-!? The Princess!?"
Zelda gave him a smile, charmed by his dumbfounded expression. "Hello again, Fado."
Fado just continued to gawk as he stared at her. He then looked to Link, as if hoping for some sort of explanation, only to gaze upon the Princess once more. "But what is she–I mean, what are you doing here at our…um, humble little goat ranch, Your Highness?"
"I wished to come and watch Link herd the goats," she explained, still smiling. "I hope that my presence here won't be a bother."
Again, Fado's mouth fell open, as if his jaw was no longer functioning properly. "A bother?" He soon began frantically waving his hands in front of him. "O-Of course not, Princess. You…You could never…!"
"That is very kind," Zelda said, her smile growing ever warmer. "Would it be all right if I watch from the fence here?"
"Y-Yes, Your Highness. That would be p-perfectly fine!"
Link just began chuckling as he watched his blithering friend try to communicate with the Princess. He sincerely hoped that he himself had never looked that foolish in front of Zelda.
"So Fado," Link interjected, hoping to save his friend from further embarrassment, "can you point out which goats need to be herded into the barn?"
"Oh, sure," Fado mumbled, finally managing to tear his gaze away from the Princess and start focusing. "It's those four in the back corner there. I need to collect some milk for tonight's feast, and they're the ones that are due for it. But, as always, they're just being so darn stubborn…"
Link nodded before flashing the man a grin. "Got it, just leave it to me." He soon nudged Epona in the side, urging her to move forward.
As both rider and horse passed the Princess, she provided them with one last smile. "Good luck," she said softly.
Link just nodded again. "Thanks."
Then, without another word, he rode through the gate and entered the field. Zelda stepped forward and held onto the fence in front of her, an excited glint in her eye. She watched as Link and Epona picked up speed, entering a full gallop as they crossed the green field. Numerous goats recognized the sound of Epona's thundering hooves, and quickly scattered out of the way, all while releasing several irritated bleats.
Link focused in on the group of goats that Fado had pointed out to him. He soon changed course, slowly circling behind them. Zelda felt her lips curve upwards a bit once she realized what he was doing. He was trying to position the goats between himself and the barn.
As he drew closer, the goats soon raised their heads, staring at the oncoming horse with wide eyes. As soon as he was sure that their attention was on him, Link raised an arm and released a loud cry.
"Hyah!"
Zelda was shocked to see how effective it was. As soon as they heard the cry, all four goats turned in unison, and began galloping away from him. As planned, they were heading straight for the barn.
"Ha ha, great job, Link!" Fado cried out from the side. He soon began running for the barn as well, hoping to shut the gate once they were inside.
Link kept his eyes trained on the goats as he chased after them. He needed to make sure that they didn't change course and would continue galloping in the direction of the barn. Sure enough, it wasn't long before one of the goats started to veer off to the side, hoping to slip away from Link's charge.
"Hyah!" Link cried again, his clear voice ringing out across the field. Within seconds, the lone goat quickly changed course, rejoining its brethren as it continued scampering towards the barn.
Zelda just smiled as she watched this. As promised, Link was able to command these goats as he pleased. For the first time, she felt like she had discovered where Link had acquired the ability to ride a horse as exceptionally as he did. She could still recall how skillful and steady his riding had been in the final battle against Ganondorf. At that time, she had been incredibly grateful for it. Without his skills, she knew that she would have had a much harder time shooting her light arrows at the evil tyrant. She supposed that she owed it all to this little ranch, and the stubborn goats that lived in it.
Before long, the four goats scurried into the barn, and Link pulled away, galloping off to the side. Fado just grinned as he shut the gate to the barn, securing the goats for good. He waved to Link again, thanking him for his help before hopping the gate and entering the barn himself.
Link smiled as he directed Epona back over to the fence where Zelda was waiting. He soon came to a stop in front of the Princess, and she offered him a polite applause.
"Very impressive, Hero," she complimented him. "You looked like a complete natural out there."
Link gave her a confident grin. "I told you that it was pretty simple. As long as Epona and I work together, we don't have any trouble at all." He soon reached down and rubbed the side of the chestnut mare's neck. She just snorted, feeling pleased.
Zelda smiled at the two of them before turning her attention back to the field. It seemed like all of the goats that had been disturbed by Link's charge had since settled down and returned to their grazing. It was clear that they truly were peaceful creatures at heart.
"I must say, I felt a bit envious having to just simply watch from the fence here," Zelda said as she turned back to the Hero. "It looked quite fun."
Link just paused, furrowing his brow a bit as he wondered if he had misheard her. "Fun? I don't know about that. It's more like work, if anything."
"And work can't be fun?" Zelda questioned him.
Link just gave her a blank look, not quite sure what to say. "Well, sure it can, but I mean…at the end of the day, this is still just herding goats around a field…"
"So?" Zelda pressed him. "You certainly seemed to be enjoying yourself. Epona too."
Epona gave another happy snort while Link just frowned. "I mean, I guess we had fun riding around," he admitted.
Zelda simply smirked at his reaction. Once again, it felt like the Hero was trying to downplay the merits of his hometown, but the Princess wasn't about to let him get away with it. After all, she felt the exact opposite.
"Would I be able to give it a try?" she suddenly asked.
"Give what a try?" Link asked, feeling lost.
"Herding the goats, of course."
Link felt his jaw fall open, not unlike how Fado's had earlier. "You want to try and herd the goats around?"
"That is correct," Zelda said with a nod.
Link just frowned, still feeling confused. "But…what for?"
Zelda smirked some more as she shook her head. "I believe I have already explained that. I thought it looked fun, and now I wish to try it for myself."
"You're serious?"
"Yes, and I would really prefer not having to repeat myself again."
Link just gave the Princess an incredulous look. Never in his life would he have imagined that she would take such a strong interest in his mundane work at this simple ranch. And not only did she find it interesting, but she apparently found it appealing as well! The Princess of Hyrule herself! At his dinky little ranch!
Still, in spite of his disbelief, Link could see that Zelda's expression was genuine. She was still imploring him for a chance to ride out onto the field and try it for herself. He soon released a small sigh. Even when he felt like he understood her pretty well, she would go and do something completely unexpected, forcing him to rethink everything that he thought he knew. Leave it to Zelda to stun him in ways that no one else could.
"All right," he finally agreed. "If you really want to give it a try, I'll show you what to do."
Zelda's face quickly brightened. "You mean it?"
Link nodded. "Yes. I'll talk to Fado and make sure that it's okay."
Zelda soon grinned, showing her pearly teeth. "Wonderful! I'll go ahead and fetch Reina."
Without another word, Zelda excitedly ran off towards the dirt path that led back to the village. Link just shook his head as he watched her go. He really hoped that she wasn't getting her hopes up too high for this.
It was just goat-herding, after all.
Link ended up explaining the situation to Fado, who was equally stunned by the Princess's request. Nevertheless, he happily agreed to let her do as she pleased. Zelda soon returned, riding up the hill on Reina. The two of them then joined Link and Epona on the field, where the Hero carefully instructed the Princess on how to properly signal and call out to the goats. She made sure to give him her full attention, memorizing every detail with perfect clarity. Once she was satisfied, she felt ready to give it a try.
Link and Fado retreated to the area outside the fence, leaving Zelda and Reina alone with the goats. The Princess took a few seconds to go over everything that Link had told her, while also gently stroking Reina's neck and making sure that she was ready to ride.
As they waited, Link soon heard a commotion coming from behind him. He glanced back towards the dirt path only to spot a number of the village children walking over with curious expressions.
"Hey Link, what's going on?" asked Talo, the loudest and most rowdy child of the bunch.
"We thought that we saw the Princess ride her horse up here," Colin said with a smile. "Is something happening?"
Link just smiled at the small crowd that was forming near the fence. He soon stepped aside and gestured to the field. "See for yourself."
The kids quickly flocked to the fence, only to end up gawking at what they saw.
"That's the Princess!" Talo shouted in surprise.
"What's she doing out there?" asked the small, soft-spoken child known as Malo.
"Is she planning to ride her horse around the field?" Colin asked.
Link just laughed. "She's going to be doing a bit more than that. Just watch."
"Oh…" sighed the young girl known as Beth. She tilted her head a bit as she gazed out onto the field with starry eyes. "Just look at the Princess, riding her beautiful white horse. She's so…elegant. So magnificent."
Talo just snorted a bit as he looked at her. "Ha ha, I think Beth might be in love."
The girl quickly dropped her gaze and replaced it with a glare. "Oh, shut up, Talo. You just don't understand the way of dignity and refinement."
"Um…the way of what?"
"Exactly."
Link just shook his head at their arguing. He then turned his attention back to Zelda, who seemed to have noticed the small crowd forming around the fence to watch her. She soon smiled and gave a friendly wave to them, much to the kids' surprise, and Beth's delight.
Zelda stifled a giggle as she watched the children's reactions. It really was amusing to see how expressive they were over the smallest of things. Her eyes soon landed on Link, who provided her an encouraging smile. She just confidently smirked back before leaning down next to Reina's ear.
"Come on, Reina. Let's make Link understand just how much fun there is to be had here."
Reina whinnied, showing that she fully understood the wishes of her master. Feeling satisfied, Zelda rubbed the mare's neck a bit before rising back up to her full height.
It was time to begin.
With a quick snap of the reins, Reina took off, dashing across the field. Zelda's dress billowed around her legs, while her long brunette braid danced in the wind behind her. She soon grinned to herself. Within an instant, they had already reached a good speed.
Zelda circled around the field, hearing the surprised gasps of the children as she galloped past them. Naturally, she paid them no mind. She was strictly focused on her goal, and that alone. It was a small group of goats nestled in the corner, similar to the ones that Link had herded earlier. Fado had claimed that this group needed to be milked next, and he appreciated the Princess's willingness to help with that. All she had to do was get them into the barn.
Zelda closed her eyes for a second, carefully recalling the instructions that Link had given her. Feeling determined, she soon reopened her eyes, just in time to see the first of the goats raise its head towards her. The rest soon followed, cautiously eyeing the white mare that was bearing down on them.
Staying calm, Zelda simply raised a single arm into the air, and cried out in a clear, majestic voice.
"Hi-yah!"
It worked like a charm. Zelda nearly laughed as she watched each goat turn and start dashing away from her as fast as they could. They had understood her signals just as easily as their brethren had understood Link's. In this moment, she felt rather proud of herself.
However, her work wasn't done yet. She still had to escort them to the barn on the other side of the field. She leaned closer to Reina, encouraging her to keep chasing them. The goats were currently traveling in a random direction towards the other side of the field, but Zelda was eager to fix that.
Wasting no time, she slowly and gradually directed Reina to the goats' right flank all while drawing near to them. The effect of this action was almost immediate. One by one, the goats slowly started to curve to the left. Before long, their direction had changed completely.
Zelda just smirked as she had Reina straighten out and continue chasing them head-on once again. As expected, they were now running straight for the barn.
Meanwhile, the onlookers by the fence just watched in both shock and awe as the Princess successfully ushered the goats around the field. They could hardly believe what they were seeing.
"She's herding goats…" Talo mumbled incredulously.
"And she's pretty good at it too," Colin whispered with wide eyes.
"Haaa, she's so majestic," Beth sighed, her eyes glistening once more.
Somewhere off to the side, Fado simply fell to his knees. "I can't believe it," he mumbled, more to himself than anyone else. "The Royal Princess…herding goats around my ranch…Oh, if only my ancestors could see this…"
Link just laughed at his friend's reaction before turning his attention back to Zelda. Honestly, he was a bit surprised as well. Not only was she doing really well so far, but she truly seemed to be enjoying herself. There was a fierce, determined look in her sapphire eyes, in addition to a smile that simply exuded bliss.
He couldn't believe it. She really was having fun herding the goats around.
"Ah, there you are, Master Link!" a voice suddenly called out from behind him. Link soon pulled his attention away from the ranch, only to turn around and spot the short Minister Fost slowly walking up to him. "I've been searching all over for you. One of the villagers mentioned that you might be found here."
Link just gave him a curious look. "Is there something you need, Minister?"
Fost nodded. "Why yes. By any chance, have you seen the Princess around? I haven't seen her in the last few hours, and I'm starting to worry about where she might have wandered off to." The older man then paused, glancing around at the children swarming the fence, as well as the man that was on his knees. "Er, and what exactly is going on here? Why does it seem like a crowd has gathered around?"
Link just laughed at his confusion. He soon pointed out into the field. "Come take a look. I think this will answer all of your questions."
Fost just furrowed his brow, looking positively bewildered, but he did as Link requested. Stepping up to the fence, he soon noticed a lone rider, gallivanting around the field and chasing after some goats. And that lone rider was none other than…
"Oh my heavens!" Fost exclaimed with a huff. "Th-The Princess! What is she-!?"
"She wanted to try her hand at ranch work," Link explained with a smile. "As it turns out, she's quite good at it."
Fost's mouth hung open as he continued to watch the Princess and her mare dash across the field. He soon vehemently shook his head in protest. "N-No, absolutely not! I forbid it! Just look at how dangerous this is! Whose foolhardy idea was this?"
"It was hers, actually," Link explained patiently.
"Oh, that foolish girl," Fost muttered as he balled his hands into fists. "What in the Goddesses' names was she thinking? Master Link, please put a stop to this at once! Before Her Highness gets horribly injured!"
Link sighed as he continued to smile. He knew that the Minister was just being overprotective. Like Zelda had said on numerous occasions, he worried too much for his own good. "Relax, Minister. Zelda has things perfectly under control."
"What nonsense!" Fost scoffed. "Her Highness has no experience dealing with such creatures! Why, if something were to happen, I don't know what I would-"
"Fost," Link interjected, speaking the short man's name in a clear voice. He soon gave the Minister a soft smile. "Put your trust in her. Zelda is no fool. She knows what she's doing."
Fost stared back at him, still looking troubled, but he soon released a sigh. "I hope that you are right."
I know that I am, Link thought confidently. He knew that she was capable, and he knew that she could handle this without a problem. He had the utmost faith in her.
Back on the field, Zelda was still dashing forward, herding the goats straight towards the barn's open entrance. At one point, the cluster of goats began to disperse a bit, slowly curving off into different directions. However, all it took was one sharp cry from Zelda to usher them all back into place. They once again traveled as one singular unit, heading for their destination at the edge of the field.
Zelda smiled, still feeling proud. Things were going so smoothly, and within a few seconds, the goats would be safely herded into their shelter. However, things ended up taking a shocking turn when one of the goats suddenly broke away from the group without warning. It galloped directly off to the right at the last second, just as the rest of its brethren were about to cross the barn's threshold.
Oh no! Zelda thought. She tried to raise her arm and call out once again, but it was too late. The single goat scampered off, finally free of her chase. As the other goats successfully filed into the barn, Reina skidded to a halt, nearly colliding with the wooden structure. Zelda just glanced to the right, watching as the single escapee made a clean getaway.
A second later, Zelda clenched her teeth as a fire blazed to life in her eyes. It was not in her nature to give up now.
"Yah!" she cried, gently nudging Reina's sides with her brown boots. The white mare immediately took off once more, trying to zero in on the goat that dared to disobey the Princess's commands.
The goat just ran, desperate to be free of its pursuers. Unfortunately for it, Zelda was not about to offer any leeway. Growing ambitious, she urged Reina to go even faster as she began to circle off to the side. The horse's hooves picked up speed, kicking up dry clouds of dirt at a furious pace. Their trajectory soon led them right back into the middle of the field. This time, however, they were in front of their target. The goat had nowhere left to run.
As soon as they were in position, Zelda gave a sharp tug on the reins. Reina instantly reared back, her front hooves flying into the air as she released a loud whinny. Zelda just raised her arm high into the sky as she glared down at her prey. Her strong voice soon echoed across the field.
"Hi-yah!"
Looking skittish and wide-eyed, the goat immediately stopped in its tracks before barreling in the opposite direction. With a small smirk, Zelda urged Reina to plant her hooves back on the ground and give chase. By this point, it was no longer necessary though. The lone goat had been scared senseless; it knew that it had no hope of escape. Without any sense of thought, it charged straight into the barn, right where it belonged.
Once again, Reina skidded to a halt just short of the structure. Zelda glanced inside to see all four of the goats secured within. She then paused, realizing that there was still work left to do. With a curious frown, she turned to face the fence as well as the onlookers.
"Um, Fado?" she called. "Aren't you going to come and close the gate?"
"Oh, right!" Fado exclaimed, immediately rising to his feet and running over. He had been too caught up in his astonishment to realize that the Princess had finished.
They all were.
Before long, the kids ended up clapping and cheering a bit. Link just smiled before he joined in the applause as well. He had not expected the Princess to do this well, and on her first attempt no less.
Once Fado had the gate closed, Zelda had Reina trot over to the fence. She soon stopped once she was in front of Link, and flashed him a smile. "Well, how did I do?"
Link just smiled back as he crossed his arms. "Honestly, that was incredible."
Zelda quickly blushed a bit, surprised at such a strong reaction. "Well, it was by no means perfect," she said bashfully. "The one goat did slip away."
"Still, that was pretty good for a beginner," Link insisted.
"I know right!?" Talo interjected, suddenly running up to Link's side. "That was awesome. She did much better than Fado ever has."
"Yeah," Colin agreed. "When that one goat got away, the Princess made sure to chase right after it."
"Oh, she looked so lovely," Beth mused.
Link just laughed as he looked down at the kids' smiling faces. "Well, there you have it. The general consensus is that you did very well, Zelda."
Zelda just smiled as she too gazed at the children's expressions of admiration. "You're all too kind. Thank you."
The Princess soon paused, however, when her eyes landed on one stunned, short, elderly Minister. Zelda just raised her eyebrows a bit as she stared at him. "Oh, hello Fost. How long have you been standing there?"
The old man just blinked before quickly furrowing his brow. "Why, long enough to nearly suffer a heart attack!" he huffed. "What exactly were you thinking, attempting something so borderline reckless?"
Zelda smirked a bit before shrugging. "I thought that it looked fun and wanted to give it a try. As it turns out, I found it quite exhilarating."
"Exhilarating?" Fost breathed in disbelief. "You found this enjoyable?"
"That's right," Zelda said with a strong nod. "Would you like to give it a try, Fost?"
"A-Absolutely not!" he replied, as if she were insane. "I must insist that you get down from your horse at once, Princess! Before one of these dangerous creatures gores you to death!"
Link just chuckled before deciding to chime in. "Um, Fost, you see that these goats have ring-like horns, don't you? They're incapable of goring anything."
Fost just scowled as he clenched his fists. "Then get down before they trample over you!"
This time, Malo spoke up. "How can she be trampled if she's up on the horse?"
"Yeah, if anything, getting down would just put her in more danger," Talo agreed as he thought it through.
Fost soon muttered under his breath as he glared at the innocent but foolish youth that surrounded him. Did none of them care for the Princess's wellbeing?
Meanwhile, Zelda just laughed at his reaction. Like always, it was a joy to see him so stumped. Still, she decided to give in and make her way out of the field. Her time of herding the goats was finished, and there was no reason to stay.
Once she was outside the fence, she dismounted from Reina, grabbing her reins as she approached Link. She soon stood face to face with him, and just playfully smirked.
"Well?" she asked.
Link just gave her a blank look in return. "Well what?"
"Was I wrong?"
"Wrong…?"
Zelda smirked some more, amused by his cluelessness. "I feel like I've made my point. Goat-herding can be rather fun, don't you think?"
"Oh," Link said, blinking in surprise. To be honest, he had been a bit too caught up in all the excitement to even remember their conversation from earlier. Not until now, at least. He soon smiled in return. "All right, I'll admit that it can be a little exciting from time to time."
"Only a little?" Zelda pressed him.
Link couldn't help but smile some more. He knew in his heart that she was right. That he too had found it exhilarating to watch her speed across the field and direct the goats to their destination. "I suppose it was more than a little exciting. I'd even dare to say it was very exciting."
"That's more like it," Zelda said, flashing a content smile.
"I do still think that it's a bit of a chore," Link continued as he crossed his arms. "But I will agree that there is some fun to be had here. If nothing else, watching you do it was fun, at least."
Zelda smirked again, trying her best not to blush at his offhand compliment. Fortunately, she was semi-successful, with her cheeks only turning a little pink as she gave him a look of gratitude. "I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed my performance. I had a wonderful time as well."
Link just laughed. "I could tell. You could hardly stop smiling out there."
Zelda smirked some more before patting the neck of her beloved steed. "I'm sure Reina enjoyed the experience too. Didn't you, girl?"
Reina simply snorted. It was her own way of showing her excitement at getting some proper exercise.
Zelda just smiled before rubbing the mare's neck. She then turned back to Link. "So, what else do you guys do for fun around here?"
"What else?" Link asked in surprise.
"Yes. Are there any other activities that the people of Ordon enjoy?"
Link scratched his head a bit. To be honest, he didn't know what to suggest, especially when Zelda had seemed so enamored with simply herding goats around. "Um…we have fishing, I guess?"
Just then, Talo ran up, raising his arms overhead in order to get the Hero's attention. "Oh, Link, I know what would be a good idea!"
Link just scowled in a disapproving way. Why did it seem like this kid was always listening in on his conversations and waiting to add his own suggestions? "What is it, Talo?"
"Why don't you show the Princess what you have set up next to your house?" the boy asked with a grin. "I'm sure that she would find it fun!"
Zelda couldn't help but smile at the boy's enthusiasm. "What is he talking about?"
Link soon smiled as well, finally realizing what Talo was referring to. "Oh, well we do have a shooting range that we like to use for practice sometimes."
Zelda's eyes quickly sparkled with interest. "A shooting range, you say?"
Me before writing this: "There's no way I can spend an entire chapter focused on herding goats, can I?"
Also me: Somehow writes an entire chapter about goat-herding.
I have no regrets though lol.