To Capture the Heart of a Hero

Chapter 67 – Hopeless

It was exactly as Link had feared. With no fire to keep the fields warm and dry throughout the night, they had been completely frosted over once again. The once thick, green vines now lay curled up on the ground, cold and lifeless. Anything that hadn't been harvested before the storm was clearly beyond saving.

"How long will our supply last?" Link was terrified to hear the answer, but he knew the question had to be posed.

Jaggle sighed. "Probably a few weeks at most. I'm sorry, Link. It's my job to keep an eye on the crops and look at what happened."

"It's not your fault," Link told him. "We did the best we could with what we had. It's not like we can control the weather."

The villagers mumbled their agreement. No one blamed Jaggle for this. They didn't blame anyone for this. It was just their current lot in life, and like always, the villagers would simply have to find a way to deal with it.

Nevertheless, Link couldn't help but feel like this entire situation was incredibly unfair. Cruel, even. What was happening in the heavens above? Had the Goddesses truly forsaken them, as Link was beginning to fear?

He didn't think he wanted to know the answer.

"What do we do now?" Fado asked, sounding more hopeless than he probably intended to.

"We'll focus on other ways of finding food," Link said with a tired shrug. "We still have our goats and cuccos to rely on. And we can go hunting and fishing too."

"All the animals are hibernating though," Jaggle reminded him. "They won't be easy to spot."

"And the pond is frozen over," Hanch mumbled. "We'll have to cut our way in."

"Well, we at least have to try," Link argued. "I know that the animals are scarce and the pond isn't the most bountiful fishing spot either, but we just need to scrounge up enough to get by. Come spring, we can forage and continue hunting until we can raise more crops."

Many of the villagers frowned and crossed their arms. It wasn't ideal, but it wasn't like there was anything better that could be done. The time for harvesting was over. The time for foraging had begun.

The villagers set to work on cutting a hole in the frozen pond. Fortunately, the ice was sturdy enough to walk on, but this also meant that they had to cut rather deep in order to pierce the surface. Meanwhile, Link fetched his bow and quiver and prepared to set out into the woods. No one knew the forest like he did, so he was the most reliable when it came to hunting and tracking. Colin bravely volunteered to accompany him, but Link shook his head and told the boy to help Fado with the goats instead. It was still so cold out, and he didn't think that Colin could withstand the frigid temperatures for such long periods of time. Link wasn't even sure if he could endure it himself, but he swore to try.

Yes, he had to keep trying. The villagers were counting on him. Ilia was counting on him.

The Hero spent the following days trudging through snowbank after snowbank, doing his best to stay quiet and out of sight. It was such a miserable experience. His feet were always soaked and freezing. His hands and ears grew numb. The only prizes he ever found were a few scant tracks in the snow, which became impossible to follow every time the wind blew and buried them under a fresh white canvas.

Weeks passed, and the situation only grew more dismal. The food supply was slowly but surely depleting, and the villagers had accomplished so little to make up for it. Fado was producing plenty of goat cheese, but the goats themselves were reaching their limits. The attempts at fishing were producing pitiful results. The villagers feared that most of the aquatic life had moved on to warmer lake beds. And Link, despite countless hours spent traversing the forest, had only succeeded in snaring a single rabbit.

One rabbit. He had spent weeks hunting, and he had only reaped one single, pitiful little hare. Link groaned as he carried it back to the village. The creature was so small, it would barely keep a family fed for a day, let alone the entire village.

The sun was beginning to set. Link was grateful. Now he could finally be rid of this awful day and move on to another. Although, he supposed there were no guarantees that tomorrow would be any better.

Suddenly, a howl echoed out into the dimming sky. Link froze in place as he listened to the eerie, haunting sound. He recognized its origin in an instant.

It was the cry of a wolf. The very creature that had started this whole disaster by attacking Bo.

Feeling unsettled, Link forged onward, traversing the deep, frozen slush as best he could. The last time there was wolf trouble, Link had been absent. He had been accused of abandoning his neighbors. His family. But not this time. Tonight, the Hero would be there. He would save the day. He had to. Ilia needed him to.

His soul was crushed when he realized he was too late.

"Four goats," Fado lamented with the most solemn expression Link had ever seen on him. "They chased four goats out into the woods."

Link exhaled, trying to catch his breath after such a frantic run. He took a moment to examine the ranch, specifically the broken section of fence that had been smashed to pieces after the goats had stampeded over it. He could hardly blame the animals though. They had been desperate to escape the predators that had hopped into their enclosure.

Uli was there too, hugging Colin close. Thankfully, the wolves hadn't taken any interest in the humans. Only the bleating foods which scurried away from them. "I don't understand," she whispered, sounding level-headed but also a little shaken. "The wolves usually avoid the village. Why would they do something as daring as sneak into the ranch?"

"Food must be as scarce for them as it is for us," Hanch said with a shrug. "It's been a harsh winter so far."

"Or maybe they acquired a taste for goat after they snagged the one that got away from me and the Mayor," Fado suggested. He cast his head down in sorrow. "Oh, it's all my darn fault! If I had just kept a better eye on the goats that day-"

Link cut him off. "Stop it, Fado. It's not your fault," was what he said.

It's mine, is what he wanted to say.

"Our situation just grew worse though," Malo spoke up. As always, it seemed that he was the critical thinker, despite his age. "We were relying on those goats. Without them, our food supply just grew smaller."

The villagers fell silent. Nobody had the heart to agree, even though they all knew it was true. The thought of receiving even smaller portions at mealtimes was incredibly disheartening, especially when their stomachs were already on the verge of growling.

But Link growled first, his face turning into a snarl. "I'll bring the goats back," he declared adamantly. He soon handed his pitiful little rabbit over to Pergie, before pulling his cloak tight around him. "You guys repair the fence."

Everyone was quick to argue.

"Link, don't be silly!" Uli scolded him.

"It's already nightfall!" Sera agreed. "And so frigid too! You'll freeze to death out there!"

Fado frowned. "Link, what would you even do if you found the goats? You'd have to fight off the wolves if you want to save them, and that's assuming they're even still alive…"

Link halted, clenching his fists. "In that case, I'll bring back their carcasses. They'll still serve as food."

"Four goats?" Hanch inquired. "By yourself?"

"He's right, Link," Jaggle said with a shake of his head. "This is basically a lost cause. The risk isn't worth the reward."

Uli nodded. "Exactly. Just let it go. It's unfortunate, of course, but it's better if you stay here. We'll figure something out."

Link could feel his fists begin to shake. They didn't understand. None of them did.

"No, I…I have to do this. I'm the only one who can. Bo is gone. Rusl is gone. And Ilia…she made me promise to look after this village in their absence. And I'll do it by any means necessary."

Again, there was silence. The only thing colder than the weather was the unsettling atmosphere his words had summoned. He soon grew uncomfortable beneath their stares. The adults looked upon him with sympathy. The children, with concern.

"Link, you don't have to do this alone."

"Yeah, we're all in this together."

"We still have some options available to us. And hey, we're not dead yet! Ha ha."

"Link." The Hero froze as Uli's hand fell gently on his arm. She gave him a soft look, just as she always did. "We love you, and we appreciate everything you do around here, but you don't have to do everything for us. And I know that you're used to saving people, but you don't have to run yourself ragged in order to save us either. We'll be fine, sweetheart. We always are."

Link felt so ashamed. So guilty. This wasn't right. They weren't supposed to defend him or protect him. It was supposed to be the other way around! Didn't they understand? Didn't they realize that they needed someone to fight for them, and that person would always, without question, be Link?

He could barely look at Uli when he finally pulled his arm out of her grasp. "You're wrong," he muttered.

Without looking back, he ran off into the pitch-black forest, following whatever pawprints and hoofprints he could find. In the distance, he heard his neighbors shout his name, begging for him to come back. But it was too late. By his choice, he was gone.

It was the middle of the night when he encountered the pack. They were stark white, naturally blending in with snow and moonlight alike. They might have eluded his gaze if they weren't such vicious, snarling beasts. Or if their mouths weren't covered in crimson.

The situation was as they had feared. Four goats lay in a puddle of ruby-stained snow. The wolves had slaughtered them without mercy.

Link was certain they intended to do the same to him.

The ensuing fight was brief yet wild. Link's movements felt inhuman. Almost animalistic in nature. Sure, he fought with his sword, but in this pale moonlight, it felt more like a fang which he sank deep into his enemy's flesh. And when the first wolf fell and the rest decided to scatter, Link nearly howled his victory, just as they would have were it his own corpse resting on the forest floor.

But the victory didn't feel good. Not in the slightest. If anything, it felt hollow. Empty. Lonely.

He frowned as he wiped his sword clean. He knew that the wolves would return once they mustered their courage. They couldn't just leave a banquet like this lying out in the open. His gaze fell upon the corpses of the goats. He thought them poor, innocent, pitiable things. He had been hoping to save all four and lead them back to the village, but he was clearly too late.

He was always too late.

At this point, the best he could manage was to secure one creature and haul it back to the village. They desperately needed the meat if they intended to survive this hellish winter. Steeling himself, Link scooped the wolf onto his shoulders. It was the only corpse that wasn't already ravaged by fangs. It would make for the cleanest meal.

With that decided, the Hero journeyed alone, back through the cold, dismal forest. Eventually, he heard howling in the distance, and he realized that the pack had returned to finish their supper. The goats would never be seen again.

As night broke into dawn, Link stumbled his way to the edge of town. By this point, he was exhausted, and nearly frozen to the bone. He couldn't feel his hands. He couldn't feel his toes. He could barely feel his legs. The wolf was heavy on his shoulders, but that wasn't the only burden he carried. The weight of the village's safety weighed far more.

It was a weight he could barely stand.

By the time his legs gave out and he face-planted in the snow, he thought he heard Colin shouting his name…

The Hero awoke to find himself bundled in blankets before a warm fireplace. He might have felt compelled to shoot up in alarm if he wasn't still having trouble feeling his toes.

"Oh, thank the Goddesses, you're awake," a voice said from behind. A second later, Uli was upon him, looking every part of the disappointed mother that she was. "For goodness' sake, Link, you had us worried sick."

He felt so guilty, he could barely look at her. He preferred watching the fire instead. "What happened?"

She shot him a glare. "You collapsed at the edge of town, either from exhaustion or frost. Possibly both. You're incredibly lucky that Colin spotted you."

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"I don't want an apology. I want you to stop being so reckless," she said sternly. She then took a moment to sigh, exhibiting all of her stress in a single motion. "Just take it easy today, would you? Please."

His initial reaction was reluctance, but upon realizing that he still felt quite chilled despite his current circumstances, he allowed himself to surrender. "Fine…" he agreed.

Uli merely sighed again. "I swear, Link. Lately you've been causing me more trouble than Rusl, Colin, and Hope combined. And that's really saying something."

"I'm trying to help," he insisted, hoping in vain that he could get his feelings across. But he soon relaxed, believing that it might very well be a pointless endeavor. "Did someone collect the wolf, at least?"

"Pergie has it now. She thinks she can make it last a week if we're careful."

"Only a week," he lamented quietly.

"It's better than nothing," she reminded him. "And while we're on the subject of food, I have a question, and I expect you to answer me honestly. You've been skipping meals, haven't you?"

Link stiffened beneath his blankets. He didn't think that anyone would notice. "I…eat enough to get by."

Again, Link had to force his gaze away from Uli. The look on her face was so sad, she almost appeared hurt.

"It's no wonder you collapsed. Link, you have to feed yourself-"

"I know," he cut her off. "And I will. I just…I need to make sure that we're gathering more than we're devouring."

"We?" Uli questioned, knowing very well that he wasn't referring to the collective. Link was too ashamed to answer her, so he simply sat in silence. The crackling of the fire became their only accompaniment.

Eventually, Uli went and fetched him a modest meal. A single leg from the rabbit he had brought back yesterday. Nothing more.

"Eat," she insisted.

"Uli, I can't-"

"If you insist on providing for this village, you need your strength. Now eat."

Her tone made it clear that she would not accept anything less. After having betrayed and hurt her so much within the last twenty-four hours, Link didn't think he had it in him to refuse her. Not this time. He soon took the leg into his trembling fingers, and slowly began to dine. He did his best to savor every bite.

Uli finally allowed herself to relax. "You know, you might not need to worry so much about our food troubles," she announced as she began to knit. "We had a discussion after you left last night, and we think we might have found a solution to our problems."

Link swallowed before giving her a curious look. "Oh? And what's that?"

She grinned a bit, pleased to see him lighten up for once. "Jaggle prepared a wagon. He's taking Malo and Sera up to Castle Town. Malo apparently has a lot of savings from his Malo Mart business, and Sera said she thinks she can sell her wares there. Together, they're hoping to buy enough food to help us get through the winter. Oh, and they also borrowed Epona. Hope you don't mind."

Link felt his eyes go wide. This solution…it was so simple. And yet he had never once thought of it. He had been far too focused on the village itself. Trying to think of solutions that could only be implemented here, without the possibility of seeking outside help. He suddenly felt so foolish. So ashamed. Maybe if he hadn't been so focused on staying put in Ordon, he could have actually gone to fetch help. And more importantly, maybe the people of his village wouldn't be starving themselves right now.

He couldn't help but wonder one thing: why? Why was he like this? Why was he such a failure who couldn't do a single damn thing to help his village?

It wasn't until sunset that he got his answer, and he absolutely loathed it.

The villagers cautiously stepped out of their homes, one by one, at the sound of the wagon. Their spirits slowly began to break. It was far too soon. It should've taken Jaggle and the others a couple of days to reach Castle Town and make the return trip home. And yet, here they were, driving back into town before the sun had even fallen.

Everyone gathered around to hear the bad news.

"We can't get through," Jaggle announced sadly. "There's been an avalanche near Faron's Spring. I'm guessing that too much snow accumulated there and now it's collapsed on the trail. And it's been so cold lately that the entire thing is frozen solid. There's…nothing we can do."

His crestfallen expression spread through the crowd. Their best hope had just been dashed against the rocks. Shattered like glass and scattered to the wind.

"What if we climbed over it?" Fado asked, sounding desperate. "You know, send someone on foot with the money?"

Malo shook his head. "Without a horse, it'd take far longer to complete the journey to Castle Town. And in this weather, you'd freeze to death long before you got there."

"And even if you did, you'd have no way of ferrying any supplies back," Sera added. "We'd need to have enough room for the wagon to get through."

"Can we tunnel through the avalanche?" Hanch asked.

"Unlikely," Jaggle responded. "That stuff is as tough as rock. It would take us days to break through it. Maybe even weeks. And that's assuming we don't suffer another snowstorm in the meantime."

The villagers fell silent once more. Nobody wanted to accept this outcome. To accept such bleak hopelessness as reality. In the end, Pergie went to rest a hand on her husband's shoulder. She was the only one brave enough to acknowledge the truth.

"So…we're stuck here, then."

"Yes, we're on our own," he answered.

A memory flooded Link's mind like a tsunami. Words spoken weeks before haunted him like a poe.

"The villagers will be relying on you to help them through the winter. So you can't just abandon this place."

Ilia. That was the answer. That was the reason why he was bound to this village. By duty. By oath. He had promised not to leave. Promised not to abandon Ordon until the day she returned. It was a binding vow, one that was completely sincere, and made only with the best of intentions.

But in this moment, Link realized the truth. That vow was actually a curse.

They were stuck, all of them, in this winter hellscape. Trapped like rats. Doomed to starve. Their only path to freedom now lay buried in ice and snow, the same as everything else. It was ironic. Almost comical. It was as if the Goddesses themselves were employing Ilia's demand for Link to remain in Ordon.

Perhaps those golden gods really are cruel, Link thought as he felt himself fully sink into the depths of despair.

It's not looking very good, is it… :(

I love that all of the villagers try their best to look after Link. Even if he isn't willing to look after himself TT_TT