To Capture the Heart of a Hero
Chapter 66 – Winter
It was a brisk dawn in Ordon. Link rubbed his hands together as he watched his breath escape his lips. Once he was properly warmed, he finished tying down the last of the supplies to the wagon. The wooden vehicle was now properly stocked and prepared for travel.
"All good!" he called to Rusl.
The man nodded as he finished strapping the horse into the wagon's harness. He then gestured to the mayor's home. "Come on, let's go ahead and get Bo loaded up."
Link nodded back and he and the other village men gathered around. Bo was currently placed on a makeshift stretcher, wrapped in warm blankets save for his leg, which was covered in fresh yet bloody bandages. Even now, there was still so little that Ilia and the villagers could do for him. They only hoped and prayed that he would be able to get to Renado before the situation became unsalvageable.
The men hoisted the stretcher up to their soldiers while the Mayor grunted in discomfort. They soon ushered him outside and into the back of the wagon without a word. Once there, the families gathered around to see him off. Bo, being their ever-confident leader, simply smiled and assured them that he'd be back in no time.
Rusl took a moment to say farewell to his own family, while Ilia grabbed Link and pulled him off to the side. The two of them stared at each other in silence for a moment.
"I'm counting on you," she reminded him.
"I won't let you down," he promised her.
Her lips cracked into a sad smile before she embraced him. Link just held her close, cherishing her warmth. If he'd be staying in Ordon for the foreseeable future, then he had no idea when he might see her again. He had a feeling that he was going to miss her terribly.
"Stay safe on the roads," he told her. "And learn as much as you can from Renado. Maybe by the time you come back, you'll be able to become Ordon's first official doctor."
Ilia persisted in smiling. "I'll try my best."
Link nodded. He knew she would.
They soon parted, Ilia stepping into the wagon where she settled down next to Bo. She planned to treat him and keep him as comfortable as possible throughout the journey. Meanwhile, Rusl situated himself in the driver's seat and took the reins in hand. After a final wave goodbye, he snapped said reins and the horse promptly took off, pulling the wagon out of the village as the sun finished rising.
Link ended up rubbing his hands together, struggling for warmth once more. Winter was settling in and it was already so cold. Perhaps far colder than its usual introduction. He soon recalled how Renado had warned the members of the Roundtable that a harsh winter would be visiting them this year. If the bitter chill of this morning was anything to go by, then it seemed that the Shaman's prediction was accurate.
The villagers of Ordon would have a lot of work to do. But Link swore to see them through it.
The first few days were simple enough. The villagers resumed their daily lives, although they were obviously a little saddened by the departure of their neighbors. Ordon Village was so small and tight-knit that it was honestly hard not to notice when someone wasn't around. But Link gladly stepped up and tried to keep everyone on task. He helped work in the pumpkin patches in preparation for the year-end harvest. He made sure that Fado was handling the ranch and offered assistance when needed. He found small jobs for the kids to work on so they could be useful, and more importantly, stay out of trouble. After all, the last thing he needed was for one of them to wander out into the forest when he wasn't looking.
Additionally, Link also checked in on Uli with greater frequency than usual. With Rusl gone, the small family was left without their breadwinner, so Link took it upon himself to make sure that they were well cared for. He stopped by each evening to share the bread, fish, and goat cheese that he had accumulated throughout the day. Naturally, Uli was very reluctant to accept these gifts, citing them as completely unnecessary, but Link always insisted. She had provided him with hundreds of free meals during his youth. Returning the favor in any capacity was the least he could do.
And so things proceeded in Ordon: happy, safe, and peaceful. That is, until the first snowstorm struck in the night…
It came, heavier and colder than anyone could have predicted. The wind howled like a ghostly wail all throughout the evening. Link's teeth began to chatter as he stared out his window, watching the thick white crystals pour endlessly from the sky. He felt a sinking feeling in his stomach as it accumulated on the frozen ground.
It wasn't uncommon for Ordon to endure heavy snowfall during the winter months. The villagers had grown to expect at least a few bad storms every year. But this one in particular felt somewhat unprecedented. The temperature was already so frigid, and the storm had arrived early in the season too. Link couldn't help but think that this weather would not bode well for the coming days, as the village still had its year-end harvest to complete. A necessary task before they would be prepared for the cold months ahead.
Nevertheless, the Hero convinced himself that it was time to retire for the night. There was little he could do to combat the effects of the storm until after it fully passed and the sun began to rise. He soon buried himself in his blankets, desperately praying for warmth as he shivered himself to sleep.
However, the thing that truly made him shudder was the sight he was met with the next morning. The entire village had practically been buried in snow. More importantly, the fields of crops had been completely frosted over…
Link hated the look on his neighbors' faces. The biting of lips. The concerned eyes. The expressions that only exuded doubt. Although, the Hero supposed that he could hardly blame them. He likely wore the same expression.
The state of the crops was…devastating, to say the least. There were pumpkins that had prematurely snapped from their stems. Wheat which had withered beneath the weight of the snow. Sadly, the losses even extended to livestock, as Jaggle reported that a handful of cuccos hadn't survived the cold.
Link was stunned. It was honestly incredible just how much had been lost in a single night to something as simple as an unexpected snowstorm. Nevertheless, he found the villagers turning to him, as if looking for answers, and he soon recalled why he was here.
They needed him. And he would be there for them.
"Light torches and grab shovels," he said, suddenly taking charge. "We'll thaw out the fields and salvage whatever we can."
The villagers nodded and set to work. At this point, they understood that it was their best option. They spent the afternoon working together, shoveling snow and melting the frost that clung to their crops. After that, they performed a full sweep of the plots, carefully determining what could be salvaged and what had already been lost. It was a bleak, somber process. One which only became all the more heartbreaking with each discarded fruit.
The villagers managed to finish by sunset, and everyone congregated in the Mayor's home. Not only was his house the most spacious and comfortable, but it was where all town meetings were held. And it was here that Link stood, acting as interim leader for his friends and neighbors. With Bo and Rusl away, someone had to step up, and so Link figured it might as well be himself.
Besides, Ilia was counting on him.
"How much of the harvest was spared?" he asked.
Jaggle, the one who was most familiar with working the fields, spoke up. "A quarter of our total harvest is still firmly rooted in the ground, and it should be ripe in about a week or so."
Link simply frowned. That number sounded much lower than he was expecting. "And how much was salvaged?"
"Another quarter. Maybe not even that."
"So, in total…we've lost half of our year-end yield."
"I'm afraid so," Jaggle admitted sadly.
Link bit his lip as he felt his fingers curl into fists. He honestly wanted to curse. Ordon Village had never exactly been well off. The people here lived simple lives and typically relied on every ounce of food in order to get by. To lose half of their yield would mean that, realistically, they would only make it about halfway through the winter. It was obvious to everyone in the room that the food reserves were about to become tight.
"We should have harvested sooner," Hanch lamented, staring at the floor. "Before the storm struck."
"No, it wouldn't have done us any good," Jaggle said with a shake of his head. "The crops simply weren't ready yet. Half of it would have been inedible regardless."
"He's right," his wife, Pergie, agreed. "We harvest at the same time every year because it always yields the most nutritious produce. We were simply unfortunate to have our first snowstorm so soon."
"And so harshly too," Fado added. "I've never seen it so bad so quick."
The room was silent for a while, everyone content to solemnly nod their agreement. There was little that could have been done about this in hindsight. It was simply unfortunate circumstances.
"Um…are we going to be okay?" Colin asked as he glanced around at the adults.
Link stared at the boy. He didn't appear to be frightened, but the subtle tone of his voice suggested otherwise. The Hero soon produced an encouraging smile.
"Yeah, we'll be fine. We're just going to have to work hard to make up for this loss. Isn't that right, Jaggle?"
"Yeah," the man replied, mirroring Link's confidence. "As long as we continue to keep the snow off of the crops, the remaining yield should be good to harvest."
"And we still have the goats," Fado added.
Uli smiled a bit as she reached down and rubbed her son's head. "All this means is that we might have to go a little light on our meals from now on. But that shouldn't be a problem, should it?"
Colin smiled back. "No."
Link managed to flash a playful grin. "Let's not forget that Bo was capable of eating for ten. Without him around, the task of making sure that everyone gets fed should be much more manageable."
Everyone in the room laughed, finally loosening up for a change. Link simply beamed with pride. It was clear that they all needed a good joke after surviving such a rough day.
"Hey dad!" Talo spoke up. "Can I help protect the fields from the snow?"
Jaggle chuckled before tousling the boy's hair. "Of course. I'd love to add a scarecrow to my pumpkin patch."
"You mean a scare-snow?" Malo mumbled. He then smirked, as if amused with himself.
"I was thinking more like a guard!" Talo corrected them. He soon raised a fist, which likely held an imaginary sword. "No snow will destroy our crops as long as I have anything to say about it!"
Pergie giggled at her son. "Well, with a fiery spirit like that, I doubt we'll have to worry about the frost."
Everyone laughed again. It seemed that their spirits were lifting, having been reinforced by something as simple as jokes and positive attitudes. Link grinned at his neighbors.
"We'll get through this," he told them confidently. "Let's just hope and pray that we don't get any more storms."
Either the Goddesses were cruel, or they simply didn't care about the tiny village in the forest to the south. At least, that's what Link thought as he witnessed the thick gray clouds rolling in, and felt a piercing gale tear right through him.
Not even a few days had passed, and yet another snowstorm was already upon them. Even worse, the sun was just beginning to set, which meant that the storm would strike in the night once again. Link dreaded the thought of what he would awaken to at dawn. It seemed that everyone else shared a similar thought, for they soon gathered in the fields, despite the approaching storm.
"It's going to be bad," Hanch said, shivering amongst the winds. "It'll be just as awful as the last, if not worse."
"The fields won't survive," Jaggle replied, his expression grim. "They were lucky to have been spared once…"
The men fell silent as the gravity of the situation sunk in. How they could very well lose their entire year-end harvest in one fell swoop. In the moment, it seemed that Link was the only one brave enough to speak up.
"Jaggle, can we harvest them now?"
"Tonight?" Link nodded. Jaggle just turned away, appearing lost in thought. "It's not ideal… There's a handful of crops that still won't be ripe for another few days… But if we start now, we might be able to harvest some that are acceptable."
"It'll have to do," Link said, making the final call. "Everyone, get to work. We have to harvest as much as we can before the storm sets in."
And so they did. They used what little daylight was left to reap the fields. More than once they encountered a pumpkin that still contained splotches of green, or wheat that was pale in color, and each time Jaggle was forced to consider whether it was worth saving or not. As the night dragged on, and the attempts to gather grew more desperate, the farmhand became much more lenient in what he considered "ripe". So much so that his typical standards were like night and day. Link felt a pang of sympathy as he watched the man's pride slowly wither away. But he fully understood. At this point, they were too desperate to demand his best work. They had to settle for whatever they could get.
And settle they did, for the harsh storm was soon upon them. Snow fell in sheets while the wind screeched its ghostly shriek. The conditions were unbearable, and the villagers struggled to wheel their produce into the storage sheds under the blind cover of night. The second they managed it, they all scampered back to their homes to find shelter. It was going to be another frigid night, and there was little more that could be done to save their fields.
Nevertheless, Link stayed behind.
He clenched his teeth, ignoring every instinct of his body that told him to shiver and seek warmth. He couldn't run for shelter. Not yet. Not when there was still work to be done. He glared down at the fields before him. The same ones that Jaggle said wouldn't be ready for at least a few more days. Link wondered if there was anything he could do to salvage them. To protect them from the storm and prolong their life until the time of harvest arrived…
He fought against the freezing gale while snow showered upon him. It took nearly all of his strength to gather a handful of logs and rush back to the fields. He soon piled them up and pulled out a tinderbox. If he could just start a fire, he could potentially ward off the snow and chill from killing these crops overnight. This meant that he would likely have to stay awake until dawn, tending to the fire to ensure it wouldn't go out. But he took solace in the fact that if he could weather the storm, then surely the crops could too.
But it seemed that starting a fire was already asking too much of him. Link struggled to light a match that wasn't instantly snuffed out by the storm. And even when he did get a small flame going, it was an even greater struggle to get the logs to accept it. It didn't help that his hands were so cold he could barely feel them, or that the wood was so damn wet, or-
"Link!"
Someone cried out his name, but he could barely hear it above the howl of the wind. Nevertheless, he turned around, only to find a bundled-up Uli approaching from behind. He soon cursed as he stood up.
"What are you doing out here?" he yelled. "Go back inside!"
The warm, motherly figure stopped in her tracks, and simply stared at him. "Come with me," she urged him.
"I can't," he replied. "I have to stay out here. If I don't, the fields will-"
"Link." By this point, Uli's voice was as soft as her eyes. "Let it go."
Link clenched his fists as another flurry of wind screeched between them. It was all he could do not to collapse into a ball on the ground, huddling for warmth. He watched Uli shiver with a similar intensity, but she soon smiled despite that.
"I'm not going inside until you agree to come with me," she threatened him.
Link closed his eyes as a chilly sigh escaped his lips. He soon kicked the pile of logs and they scattered amongst the rising snowbanks. There was a good chance they would be lost until spring. He then marched over to Uli and linked arms with her.
"Let's go," he agreed, feeling utterly defeated.
They trudged back through the snow, pausing whenever the merciless wind threatened to tear them to pieces. Eventually, they made it up the hill and into the safety of Uli's home. The sound of the door slamming shut must have startled the young baby, Hope, for she soon started bawling her eyes out. Colin was awake as well and asked what was going on. Fortunately, Uli was a tried and true mother, and she was quickly on top of it all.
She instructed Link to remove his coat and boots, told Colin to go back to bed, and instantly scooped up her baby. As she managed to quiet the infant's cries, she gently pushed Link until he found himself seated in a chair in front of a meager fire. Within minutes, he could start to feel warmth return to his fingers and toes.
Uli settled in a chair opposite him, gently rocking Hope to sleep. An hour must have passed before Link felt brave enough to speak up.
"I'm failing this village," was all he said.
Uli softly smiled. "You're doing your best," she said in a soothing voice. "Nobody expects you to battle a storm, Link."
Link couldn't help but think that Ilia might have, but he managed to catch himself before he uttered such awful words. Instead, he allowed his shoulders to fall as he watched the newborn sleeping peacefully in Uli's arms. For some reason, he felt sorry for her.
"We'll be all right, won't we?" he asked in a whisper.
Uli nodded. "We've survived many winters. We'll survive this one too."
Link brought his hands together as he gazed into the fireplace. "I…hope that you're right."
"Have faith. The Goddesses haven't abandoned us yet."
He merely frowned, not quite sure if he believed that. But there was one thing he knew for certain. Even if the Spirits, Goddesses, and the entire world abandoned this humble little village in the forest, he would never do the same.
Not as long as he was needed.
Across the Kingdom, Zelda shivered as she went to close the curtains. She then pulled her evening shawl tighter around her shoulders before returning to her father's bedside.
"Brrrrr, it's getting awful out there. I suppose that Renado wasn't kidding when he said that this year's winter would be a harsh one."
Caius croaked out a few painful coughs before resting on his pillow. "Aye. And I must be getting old, for this chill is enough to make my bones ache."
Zelda gave him a sympathetic smile. "Well, you are still sick and afflicted by that twilit toxin. I'm sure you'll feel much better come spring. Perhaps much younger too."
"Perhaps," he agreed with a halfhearted smile. He then sighed before shivering.
"You are staying warm, aren't you?" Zelda asked softly. She soon began tucking in the sides of his thick blanket.
"As much as I can," he promised. "Unfortunately, I don't feel strong enough to leave my bed much these days."
"You never should have been leaving your bed in the first place," Zelda reminded him sharply.
Caius let out a hearty laugh, although, in his current condition, it honestly sounded more like a painful wheeze. Zelda felt her eyes grow round with concern as she listened.
"Oh father, you really aren't doing well, are you? You're sounding worse than ever before."
"N-No, I'm fine," he insisted between light coughs. "I'm probably coming down with something new, but it'll pass. It always does."
Zelda continued to eye him for a moment, but soon settled down in her chair once more. "I hope so. I don't know how much longer I can go on seeing you like this."
He lightly smiled. "Zelda, you are brave and wise. I know that you're enduring my sickness far better than I am."
"I disagree. It breaks my heart to see you in such agony."
A small chuckle, followed by another hacking fit. "Don't worry about me so much. I'd like for you to just focus on your duties for now. Especially when you're planning to make deals with the Bulblins…"
Zelda sighed at her father's change in tone. Similar to everyone else on the Hyrule Council, Caius had shown a great amount of reluctance when the Princess declared her intentions to instate the Bulblins as official citizens of Hyrule. While he had listened to her arguments and could certainly see the benefits of such a thing, he still held doubts about whether this was the right course of action to take. The Bulblins had always seemed impulsive and untrustworthy. Not to mention, they had just kidnapped his precious daughter only a few weeks prior without any remorse. And that was nothing short of a national crime.
"I know that you have your reservations about this, but I believe that it will truly be beneficial for Hyrule in the long term," Zelda stated bravely. "And besides, Link has already pledged his support. With his help, I think we can make some significant strides forward in not only understanding the Bulblin race, but also living peacefully alongside them."
"I understand," Caius mumbled, having already heard her passionate tirade more than once. "Nevertheless, I urge you to be cautious. It would be unwise to rush into a pact with such barbaric creatures who could very well betray you at a moment's notice."
Zelda nodded. "I believe that the risk of betrayal is minimal at best, but you can rest easy. I will not be implementing any plans until winter has passed and spring has blossomed. King Bulblin has promised that his people will not be causing any trouble for our Kingdom from this point forward, and this will give us time to see if he keeps his word. Assuming he does, we can proceed with welcoming the Bulblins into our Kingdom as an official people."
Upon hearing this, Caius managed a small smile. "My daughter, you truly are wise beyond your years, and you have made me incredibly proud. I hope and pray that you will find success."
Zelda sincerely smiled back. "As do I, father."
She soon beamed with confidence as she glanced at the fireplace opposite of Caius's bed. Her thoughts turned to Link, the Hero who had not only saved her, but would also aid her in building a better and brighter Hyrule.
As always, she longed for the day when she would see him again.
Personally, I hate winter XD The cold and snow are both such pains to deal with…
Anyway, it seems that things are not so fun in Ordon at the moment. Link is also showing some self-destructive tendencies, so that's a little concerning… I do enjoy getting to show moments of "Ordon villagers stand together" though. I love this tight-knit community that the hero calls home :)