Legend of Zelda 1. Chapter 1

Aryll's point of view of Wind Waker

I hear Grandma huffing as she scuffles about the kitchen. A pan clatters as it falls on the floor. Grandma doesn't curse, but I hear a long sigh. She is getting old. I hear a muscle pop as she picks up the dish. What is she doing up so early?

I roll over in my sheets and peer out the window. The sun has barely kissed the waves – it's not even dawn. I scoot my way out of bed and begin dressing myself. The wooden floors are cold to my toes, so I hurry as I dress. After braiding my hair into pigtails and tying my leather sandals, I rush down the ladder.

My grandma is warming up water in the fire. She hears my steps and quickly embraces me. I hug her back, surprised. She usually isn't so chipper, unless it's a holiday or someone's birthday.

"Oh!" I suddenly remember, "It's Link's birthday!" Grandma rolls her eyes, and gives me a peck on the cheek. I look behind her to a see a pile of green cloth in desperate need to hemming. "Need some sewing help, Gram?" I just learned how to sew a double stitch, and my hands itch to practice my craft.

She shakes her head, "No, dearie, but could you find Link? He must've been out practicing with Orca late last night again. He probably forgot that today's his big day!"

"Okay!" I grab my telescope from a peg by the door and skedaddle out of the cottage.

"Big Brother!" I call. Of course there's no response. Link is a heavy sleeper; I doubt even an angry pig could wake him. I call his name a few times and wave to the neighbors as I explore the island. He's not napping in the shrubs, nor slumbering by the shore. There's only one place he could be: my lookout.

I clamber up the ladder to the lookout. The elders say that it used to be a lighthouse, but now it's mostly where us village children pay with the gulls. Link's up there now, snoozing in a sunlight. A seagull nips at his pockets, takes a shiny green rupee, and flies off. I chortle at the sight. Link looks so cute when he's sleeping, I almost don't want to wake him.

I quickly get over it. "BIG BROTHER!" I shout into his ear. I dart behind him, so he can't see me. He jumps, stretches, and gets ready to roll back into sleep. "I knew you'd be here." He jumps again. I enjoy scaring the crap out of him.

His eyes are bleary and his face contorts as he holds back a yawn. I giggle, "This is my favorite spot to gaze out at the sea. When I play with the gulls, I call it "Aryll's Lookout." Of course he knows this; we've often come up here together to trade tales of longing to see more of the Great Sea islands.

"So, do you remember what day it is today?" If I didn't remember at first, there's no way my sleepy big brother can. He stares blankly at me, eyebrows raised. "You're still half-asleep, aren't you? Did you forget?" He stills stare blankly; I think he's contemplating falling asleep still standing. "Big Brother, it's your birthday!" Now, I've got his attention. Link's always been the strong, silent type, but his eyes reveal everything. He completely forgot!

I tell him that Grandma's waiting for him at the house and watch him jump down the lookout, forgoing the ladder. That boy is reckless, and I hold my breath as he rolls away, unharmed. Grandma tells me that our mother was the same way, but I can't imagine a woman jumping around, forgoing safety like Link. After my mother died bringing me into this world, Link spent a lot of time wandering the island, alone. Then I grew up, and wandered with him. He never blamed me for Mom's death. He often tells me stories of her…

Lost in a train of thought, I barely notice when I see green in the corner of my eye. The seagulls surrounding me fly off, and I know the green blob is Link. For some reason Gulls, or really any kind of bird, distrust him. I don't know why. Link's wearing some sort of green getup, and it looks uncomfortably warm.

"Did Grandma make that outfit for you?" He nods and scratches at his sleeve, obviously wanting to rip the clothes off and go back to his pajamas. I make some snappy comment about the outfit, in true little sister style then request that he shut his eyes. I have a present for my brother. It's more like a last minute idea, since I forgot his birthday, but whatever. It's still precious.

He holds out his hands, and I place my telescope into them. Grandma tells me that the scope was forged by Rito, and it was a wedding present from my dad to my mom. She loved seagulls like me, apparently. Anyways, he opens his eyes and holds tight to my most precious belonging. He should know how much it means to me; I almost never let it leave my sight.

"You should try it out! Right now! Try looking at our house from up here!" He nods and positions the scope. I see a small smile forming, and I can't help but to smile too. But the smile turns sour in a moment.

Link whispers softly, "The postman looks kinda weird, doesn't he?" I squint to see what he's talking about, and glance up at the sky. Holy Hylia…

"The sky! Look up in the sky!" A giant Kargaroc, dark as night, is soaring above our island. A golden plume floats gracefully in a wind. I've never seen such a terrifying, majestic creature. Not even the monsters in the elder's tales compare. I hear Link take in a sharp breath, and the island shakes. A boom cracks through the air, splitting my ears. I look into the ocean. A looming brown ship speeds furiously across the water. Pirates! They shoot cannonball after cannonball into the sky; the bird dodges effortlessly. Finally, one cannonball hits the target; the bird whirls and screeches a bloodcurdling screech. As the bird writhes in the air, a small parcel falls from its grasp and into the forest. I realize in horror that the parcel is a girl.

I can't stop the words from tumbling out of my mouth, "Link, this is so terrible! That girl fell into the forest! She needs help!" I shake in fury; the girl is in grave danger, but Link will be too if he goes into the forest unarmed. I mutter as he scrambles off, "It's dangerous to go alone!"

I look back into the ocean. This day has certainly grown much more interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The pirate ship's anchors have dropped. A few burly men swim to shore and argue with the postman. I climb down the lookout tower and hesitantly walk over. I've chatted with the postman a few times as he delivered mail, but I've never talked to a pirate. I've only seen their ships from a distance; Outset was too poor to be of any interest to pirates.

The burly men are shouting. Clamors of a Miss Tetra and Danger and Helmaroc King burble from their mouth along with phlegm and expectoration. Suddenly, one of the men storm off towards the forest. I rush over automatically. People aren't supposed to go to the Fairy Forest.

"Wait! The forest is forbidden! Monsters live in there." The men take notice of me. The one heading towards the forest scoffs.

"Little Hylian girls and their monsters. I'll be fine, you brat. I'm a man." He storms off, and I notice that he's flexing his arms as he goes. I have no idea what a Hylian is, but I have a feeling that it's not something to be proud of.

The burly man stalks toward the mountain, and I get the feeling that he's not the brightest of fellows. He trips and falls quite a few times before making it up the summit path. I decide to follow him.

The mailman watches me with aquiline eyes as I go. He doesn't say anything, but merely watches.

I've only ever been up the path a few times; children are only supposed to go with an adult. Link has taken me to try to find the mountain fairy once; we couldn't find her. Link also took me up to find a lost pig; we did find it. The last time I was up here, Link and I broke a plank off of the rickety wooden bridge. Whoops. This is my first time climbing alone, though, so I take precaution sidestepping the steep slope. As I approach the cave entrance of the mountain, I see Link with the big burly pirate and a petite blond girl. The girl sort of looks like me, but tanner and tougher.

I shout a greeting and begin to walk across the bridge. I'm extra careful to keep my feet in front of me; the bridge sways dangerously even in the slightest breeze. Suddenly, Link's smiles turns to horror, something tugs at my shoulders, and the ground is being ripped from under me. Am I falling… up? A cackle erupts from above me. I don't understand what's going on!

A demonic screech comes from above my head, and suddenly I understand. The bird came back. I am trapped in its claws.

"BROTHER!" I scream. I try to wriggle, but the steel claws only grip tighter, cutting into my limbs. I see the flicker of green, and I know that my big brother will keep me safe. I reach out a hand, and I see the pirate girl catch him as he carelessly falls from the cliff face. Link will never be able to reach me from here.

I stop struggling and watch in horror as my island, my only home, fades from view, growing smaller and smaller, until it morphs into the mist. My only company is a soft flapping of wings and the swinging of the beast's claws as I fly away.

Funny, how I always dreamed of flying with the gulls. I bought massive amounts of Hyoi Pears from Beetle, to experience the feeling of flight. But it never felt like this. Flying like a gull never seared my heart with fear. My eyes start to sting, and little drops of ocean flow over my cheeks and into the waves below.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I stay awake the entire trip. The air is thin, and my chest begins to hurt. I cough feebly, and I think the bird notices because our altitude decreases. We pass tiny specks of islands and countless miles of ocean. My muscles ache from being stuck in the same slung-over position for hours.

Finally, we reach the location. I assume it's the location because the bird slows down and spreads his winds wing above himself, catching the air to slow as we descend. The tower before us is dark and dreadful. I could've sworn that is was morning when I was taken. We had only flown for a few hours at the most, yet the sky was dark as dusk. I see the fins of Gyorgs circle in the unforgiving waters below. I gulp, and the bird lands. He gently drops me a few inches off the ground before placing his full weight on his claws. I look up to see magnificent gilded feathers, midnight, and emerald, and ivory, and silver speckle his plumage. He's beautiful.

And dangerous. The bird suddenly rears its head close to mine and sniffs. A mask of metal adorns his face, and I can see through the eyeholes that his head is delicate, like a gulls. I don't dare to reach out and touch the feathers, even though my hands long to know if the down is as hard as the Kargaroc's claws. Abruptly the bird raises its head and stands at attention, looking hard at the stone beneath it. I am tempted to do the same.

I take the moment to gather my bearings. The bird has taken me to what I assume is the top of a tower. The circular landing pad is surrounding by a gate of spikes, and I can see a broken ship across a stone pathway. Guard posts and searchlights are dotted around the tower, and I assume that we are in the place of nightmares, the palace of pirates, the goddess cursed hideaway…

"The Forsaken Fortress," a powerful voices thunders from behind me. I flinch and slowly turn around. A sweeping cloak of elaborate design sweeps over the cobblestone. I look up into the red eyes of a green skinned man with ginger hair. He looks like someone left in the ocean for too long, with saggy skin and a sour complexion. His robes are ornate yet torn, as if it had been through one fight too many.

He seems to welcome my examination with good humor. He glides over to me and looks me hard into the eyes, yet speaks to the bird, "My Helmaroc King, this one seems a little young to be the chosen bearer. Her eyes are too innocent, but perhaps a proper inspection will reveal what I'm after." He snatches my wrist and tugs it upwards. I squealed in surprise. He looked thoughtfully over my left hand for a matter of minutes before sighing. He threw my hand back to me.

"Another failure, my pet. She is not the heir." He turns his back away from me, and calls for an escort to lead me away.

"Can't I just go home?" I blurt, tired and scared. I don't know why I'm a failure, or even why I'm here. I just want my brother, and my grandma. A cackling laugh erupts from deep within the man.

"You, my dear guest, are never going home. You may not be what I'm looking for, but I will find a use for you."

I want to saw something sassy, but my breath catches. A goblin-like creature grabs my arm and leads me down a dangerous wooden ladder. Below the flight deck is a laboratory-looking room that smelled of spices and potions with a touch of lavender. A wooden cage stands to the far side of the room. To my surprise, two girls not much older than me lean against the bars, lazily greeting me with a glare. The goblin throws me into the cage, and I scrap my knee falling.

The door clangs behind me, and a key jingling in the lock. I don't bother begging for my freedom; I have a feeling I'll be here for a while.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It's good long while before I stop sniffling. I lean against the cold stonewall and look up. A faint light emanates from a narrow window with bars. A seagull is plopped against a bar, crowing softly, as if life hadn't been taken from me. I let out a humorless snort. Crying isn't going to get me anywhere. I let out one last sniff before sitting up straight.

There are two girls in the cell with me. Both a quite a bit older than me; I suspect that they're teenagers. One of the girls, a blond with an exquisite silk dress and a hairpin of rupees, is napping, soft snores bubbling out of a perfect rose mouth. The other girl is dark haired with think fringe. She is literally dressed in rags and her cheeks are adorned with a mole. She is trying to stitch a rip in her frock with a small sewing set I suspect the other girl owns. I crawl over to her.

"Want some help? I'm a fairly decent sewer." She seems surprised that I'd acknowledge her existence, let alone offer to assist her. She nods shyly, and I stitch the frayed garment. Afterwards, she comes to sit by me.

"I'm Maggie."

"Aryll"

"Oh, that's a pretty name. I've never heard of it before. I'm from Windfall, by the way."

"Is that the market town with the windmill? I'm from Outset, by the way."

We giggle a few soft laughs and talk of our upbringing. Maggie's father used to be a postal worker who worked on Dragon Roost among the Rito, but he was fired and became very poor. With his last pennies, he chartered a boat to Windfall, and he attempted to start a small stationary shop. It floundered, and he became the town beggar. Apparently, many people assumed that he was also a drunkard, but Maggie insists that she has never seen him touch ale. I believe her.

In the moonlight of our window, her hair is a flattering shade of mahogany. I like her quiet, unassuming voice. She seems a pleasant girl to be around. So, I'm shocked when she tells me that she's never had any friends. Although the Windfall schoolteacher let her learn, tuition-free, the other students often taunted her well-known financial status and shabby clothes. She doesn't seem to let it get to her, though, as she loves to learn. She tells me in a hushed voice that a Moblin has been smuggling her small books in return for her teaching him how to read and write. I've never been a part of a conspiracy before, so I promise to keep it a secret.

The other girl awakens from her doze. Sharp, angular eyes and cheekbones give the girl a very demanding appearance. Despite being locked in a cage, she manages to exude an aura of grace and poise. I find it off-putting but decide to give her a chance.

She notices me, and stalks over, like a cat stalking its prey. She holds out a dainty, soft hand for me to take. I don't take it; the thought of my grubby common hands ruining her manicure keep my hands to my side. In a voice like silk she introduces herself, "Mila of Windfall, and you are?"

"Aryll… of Outset."

"Pleased to meet you." She doesn't seem pleased, but instead wearily gazes about the room. She sits down in a way that her dress isn't soiled and waves Maggie and me over. I notice that she has a constellation of freckles adorning her face and icy eyes.

She asks me pleasant small talk about Outset and ignores Maggie. I get the idea that the two know each other but don't remark.

I begin to grow tired of foolish pleasantries and snap, "What are we doing here?"

Mila and Maggie glance at each other, and Mila coyly sighs, "Why, you are still a child. You don't belong here. How old are you?"

"Seven."

Mila frowns. She still somehow looks like a princess while doing it. She continues, "We're here because we're Hylians, and Ganondorf is looking for the Hylian princess."

I am terribly confused. So, perhaps the pirate wasn't insulting me when he called me a Hylian?

Maggie must sense my distress because she adds, "Hylians are like humans, but with pointed ears." She brushes back her hair to reveal her pointy ears, and Mila does the same. "Apparently, Hylians are descended from the Royal Race of the old legends."

I poke my own pointy ears, even more confused, "But I'm not a princess. I'm a farm girl from Outset."

Mila sighs, "And I'm the daughter of the wealthiest man on Windfall. As long as you're a young girl with pointy ears, odds are you might be the lost princess without even knowing it."

Maggie and Mila continue to tell me about what they've learned from their time in the Forsaken Fortress. Apparently, Ganondorf was once a powerful warlord who was banished into some shadow realm by the Hero of Time. He somehow managed to break his seal and searching for the descendant of the Hyrulian royal family for some unknown reason. Ganon is the darkness from legend, the one who Grandma would threaten to summon if I didn't clean up after myself.

"But Hyrule's a legend!" I exclaim.

"Not anymore." The girls uttered together, and they go silent.


End file.

Legend of Zelda, Adventure, Family