((I will explain the title. This place is not where I post my stuff here so people can kiss my feet. If you wanna go do that, there are other threads here whose author would appreciate it. I post here, and I write, to better myself. Flattery does not better me. I would deeply appreciate it if every comment and post here had at least one legitimate criticism - complaints that 'the only thing I don't like about this story is that the next chapter isn't up!' and its subsidiaries are bogus. Eat your heart out, suck-ups - I'm here to be criticized. Read it - unless I'm omniscient, there's going to be something wrong, and (surprise surprise) I'm not omniscient. That not to say I don't mind praise, but only when it is sincere. And only in context. In my opinion, context is when mixed in with constructive criticism.

And I know the title stinks))



Hero of Birds







Part I: Aldorn


Chapter I

They tell of legends. They are carved lovingly into the cold stone of the forgotten hall, torchlight playing on their tales, almost making the figures dance in the dim glow.

They tell of a city. A country. How far away, how long ago, they do not say. They only speak of its name, a name of a country long forgotten: Hyrule. They tell how it was overtaken by a man with the blessing of power, and they tell how courage and wisdom defeated him, and cast him into a realm, a void between reality. They then tell of how courage then disappeared, never to be seen again.

Thus the kingdom continued, bereft of courage.

Until Courage returned.

-------

If they would have listened, they would have heard it in the leaves. They would have tasted it in the murmuring river. They would have smelled it in the wood’s spice. They would have felt it in the caress of the breeze. They would have known it was ground into the earth, carved into the mountains, burned into the sunlight.

Change.

But as it was, they would have had to been part of the forest, lived in it, known the woods’ every burble and whisper. But they were people of the fields, the grassy knolls, the wide open spaces, so they did not know.

After all, change never came to Ordon.

-------


Aldorn blinked through the dust thrown by his horse’s hooves in the ferocity its gallop. Grinning, he pushed Garied faster, his entire body leaning forward in excitement, in the thrill of the speed. He turned to his younger partner tauntingly. “Is that the best you can do?” he asked with a laugh as he pulled ahead of Kyrian, Aldorn's best friend, Link's, horse. Link just gave him a determined look before once more burying his heels into Kyrian’s side.

The two blazed a trail through Ordon woods - or South Faron, whichever your preference was. It was usually the plantation owners that called it South Faron, possibly they didn’t think Ordon was small enough already. At any rate, the wide dirt lane, etched with trenches from carts, was now being ripped apart by the two boys’ horses. Of course, it wasn’t like it was paved or anything, and it helped get rid of that rebellious patch of unruly grass. That was the good thing - the lane was so natural it provided enough thrills for activities such as this. Especially Mountain Bend, it had that one knobby, twisted tree root right on that corner that made you force your horse to jump to make it over it - that is, if your horse didn’t balk at it. It was a rather witchy looking thing. It was wonderful.

Aldorn laughed as Garied successfully made the precarious jump. He’d even managed to keep on the inside of the corner, forcing Link to forfeit is neck-and-neck position at the jump, but Kyrian was a feisty thing and Link was an excellent rider - despite the fact he was two years Aldorn’s junior. This challenge was exactly why Aldorn loved these competitions with his friend.

Once more, Link was right at Aldorn’s side, and the younger boy felt the need to give Aldorn a cocky grin.

“Hah, not bad, but you better watch your sister’s horse - she wouldn’t want it to eat dust!” Aldorn said, again driving his horse to pull ahead. The two boys’ blond hair whipped in the wind, both pairs of vivid blue eyes focused intently on Farmer Migil’s tree - the finish line. The horses, both bays, galloped through the forest, foam flecking their muzzles, ears cocked forward in ernest.

“Hah!” Aldorn shouted in victory as he halted his horse, looking over triumphantly at Link as they pulled out into Farmer Migil’s field. The young boy had a fussy look on his face, sticking his tongue out at Aldorn. “Sore loser,” Aldorn said with a grin before pulling his horse next to Link’s. “C’mon, lets get you home -”

“Hey, you kids! Get outta my field!” A wretched voice screeched.

Both the boys grinned at each other as they once more made the horses to gallop, this time down into Ordon. Before leaving, though, they each helped themselves to an ear of Farmer Migil’s corn.

-------

“Berdak!” Aldorn yelled as the two boys entered the store. “Berdak, what’s new?”

“Aldorn! What have you two beens up to now? So dirty!” The large, amiable man asked, grinning, as he shelved one of his potions.

“Eh, racing, y’know.”

“Can I help you two troublemakers? Parents wants anything?”

“Naw, just wanted to get the scoop on the local news,” Aldorn said with a wave of his hand. Really, the only reason they'd stopped is because their horses needed rest and Berdak's shop's hitching post was right near the river. So, basically, they were in there killing time.

“Ain’t nothing happenin’ beyond ol’ Mrs. Trillian gettin’ in a fight with Mr. Trillian. Pushed him in the well this time, I think,”

“That was last week.”

“Ehhh...” Berdak said, polishing off one more bottle. “Ah! Last ones! Good,” he said in a thundering voice. “Now, what is this I hear of Master Link being as only one year now from manhood?”

“Yah, Link’s nine now,” Aldorn said, elbowing the mentioned. Link grinned.

“Hah, one more year, then you can gets your own horse. Good lad,” Berdak said, wiping his hands on his pants, “all the children be growing up so fast now! Now who will I talk to besides those dull potion-makers?”

“You could just try to sell more than just potions...”

“Not so! I must sell potions.”

“But why such silly ones? I know its fun, but I don’t know how many people would buy these,” Aldorn said, pointing upwards at a shelf unreachable at his current height. “I mean, I’d like to change my eye color and stuff for fun, but adults are dull. ‘Cept you.”

“Ah! Master Aldorn, too kind,” Berdak smiled.

A moment of awkward silence followed. The two boys shuffled their feet a bit before Link elbowed Aldorn and motioned towards the door.

“Uh, well, bye,” Aldorn said, walking out the door.

“Ah!” Berdak replied.

-------

“Link!” Kariah said when she saw her little brother cross the knoll. She waved at him, to which he returned with a grin. It wasn’t long before Link rode up to her, Aldorn following reluctantly. Aldorn always seemed so nervous about her. Her eye began to examine Link’s horse, and a critical look crossed her face as she rubbed her hand along Kyrian’s flank. She then glanced over at Link who was wandering off, nonchalantly. “Link! You get back here,” he turned around with an angelic look. “Link, what have you been doing with Kyrian? Just look at him. You raced him without letting him rest enough again, didn’t you?”

He gave her a sheepish grin and began to saunter away again, but her hand fell upon his shoulder, “Woah, woah, wait a minute. Even if you could talk you aren’t wheedling your way out of it this time. You’re going to brush him. Well, what you can reach of him,” she said, handing him the course brush. Aldorn remained on his horse, fidgeting in anxiety as Link gave Kariah a pitiful look as he held the brush as one might hold the rope that was to hang them.

“Don’t give me that... Aldorn!” She said, looking up at the older boy in such a way as to cause him to straighten on his mount. “You’re worse than him because you know better.”

“Aw, Kariah,”

“Don’t give me that. I’m not like your sister, that doesn’t work on me.”

“But, Kariah, it’s his birthday,” he said with a look at Link, who was still giving her puppy eyes.

She sighed. She then looked back down at Link before snatching the implement of doom and boredom from his hands, brushing a blonde lock from her face as she did so. “It would be on your birthday, pfft,” she said before looking over at Kyrian. The horse proceeded to nuzzle her, and, despite herself, she smiled. “You probably want to see your mare and foal, don’t you? Yes you do,” she said, leading the horse off.

Link then began walking towards his house as Aldorn rode Garied to the door, readying to dismount the horse.

“Link!”

Link winced. “Don’t you go anywhere! I’m not finished with you,” Kariah said from the stable. Aldorn remained on his horse, not quite sure what to do. Gingerly, he slid off the horse before dashing into the house.

He was followed by Link’s venomous expression.

“Link! Link,” Kariah said as she ran up to him. Fortunately, she didn’t seem to be holding anything that might cause suffering, but one never knew. “Here,” she said, holding out something in her hand, “‘cuz you aren’t such a bad kid,” she said, before leaving. She never was good around mushy scenes.

Link examined the little piece in awe. It was a hand-carved ocarina - with twelve holes. He then looked down at his own, hanging around his neck, which he’d carved himself. However, that one was much more crude, and had only five holes. He looked back up at the gift, special even more in that it was polished and painted a beautiful blue color, with a yellow triangle at its pipe. It even came with a strap, so he could wear it around his neck like his other one. His eyes brightened as he put it on and lifted the instrument to his lips. He’d played Berdak’s old 12-hole ocarina when the store manager allowed it, so he already knew how to play one, so he already knew how to gently play one of his favorite tunes. The music sounded so much better on a fresh, new instrument than one Berdak’s old one. He looked over at his sister, who was blowing on her own horsegrass flute, trying to teach Kyrian’s foal, Epona, a simple little tune. Link smiled.

She wasn’t so bad, after all.

Excitedly, Link dashed into his house and into his room, hanging up his old ocarina so that it wouldn’t bump his beautiful new one when he wore it. Link plopped himself on his bed and began playing, happily. The warmth of the small room, with the sun peeping in the little window, always gave him some measure of comfort. I wasn’t glamorous, but it was homey.

“Hey, Link, what gives?” Aldorn asked as he walked into the room, “forget I was here? We’re all waiting on you so we can eat dinner, and you know I don’t like to wait,” Aldorn crossed his arms impatiently.

Link motioned emphatically towards his new instrument, but Aldorn wasn’t that interested. Reluctantly, he followed his friend down to the dinner table, which was somewhat crudely carved from a block of wood, and decorated with the array of food set upon it.

Once Link was seated, everyone began eating except Link’s mother, who beamed at her son, “One more year, Link,” she whispered. She then turned to her husband, “It won’t be long now before he’s big enough to fit into Ersias’s favorite tunic...”

“Mother,” Kariah said with annoyance and a bit of pain, “please don’t mention him at the table,”

“We can’t block him out, Kariah, he was a good boy while he was alive. We can remember that, can’t we?”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t miss my brother.”

“I know, honey. But it will be good when Link can wear his chain mail and tunic, in about five or so years he’ll be about your age, then he’ll be big enough.”

“Meat please,” Aldorn said loudly, trying to cut the ooshy-gooshy moment short.

“Here,” Kariah said as she scooted the platter over to him.

-------

Aldorn had left already and had gone home, and the night had fallen. It was a clear night with a pale new moon, warm, with a gentle breeze rippling across the small grassy hill, transforming it into a silver-green sea. Kariah stood, leaning against the house as she watched her little brother playing his new ocarina. She knew he would enjoy such a gift, it was one of the only ways he could speak, through music. He was funny, sometimes he would play background music while someone was speaking. It usually got on the person’s nerves, but to outsiders it was rather comical.

She watched him as he played his favorite tune, the tune the old traveler had taught him when he came through years ago. The traveler had said that the tune would bring birds to whomever played it, and that it had magic that would heal the birds. While she didn’t believe the latter, the former was obviously true, as a small flock of pigeons, sparrows, and perhaps a warbler or jay crowded about him; one even perched on his head.

Link loved the birds. He often left his window open at night and played the tune so birds would come into his room. When he was younger, and had bad dreams, he would often do that for comfort and company. He had a special connection with birds, her brother, it was as if they could understand what he was trying to say, and were probably the only ones. The only people that understood him.

Kariah liked to think she understood him, and though she knew he and Aldorn got along, Aldorn didn’t understand him. The older boy even thought the whole bird thing was silly - their parents were probably the closest to understanding him, especially his mother, but no one could really understand him. Save the equally wordless birds. Who knew what went on in her little brother’s mind? She was certain the birds knew. She was also certain that there was more going on behind those vivid eyes than anyone believed. She knew he was a clever boy, though he had become somewhat dependent, especially on Aldorn, for contact with the sentient world. Sometimes she thought it was unhealthy, but he needed someone, and she wasn’t it. Fortunately, Link had such an expressive face. If he had one of those stone faces he probably would have been regulated to just birds, but his eyes held such emotion as to almost talk for him sometimes.

Kariah continued to watch her brother and the birds before looking up at the moon.

Link was such a special boy. It was a sad thing that almost nobody ever took the time to get to know him.

-------

Pbbbbtthh...

“Link, seriously. You should know how to whistle by now. You can’t just toot at the horses with your new orcmina-whatsit.”

Link glared daggers at Aldorn as he yanked on the reigns to get Kyrian to rear, spooking a nearby horse into trotting a bit closer to the gateway goal. Link then brought his new ocarina to his lips and let blast a fully open, ear-splitting high F. Aldorn winced at the shrill noise, as did every creature with ears within half a mile. To Aldorn’s chagrin, the new ocarina’s high note had the desired effect, and the horses cantered/galloped away from Link’s instrument of pain.

“Well, I guess you can,” Aldorn mumbled as he once more commenced shouting at the horses to herd them in the right direction. “Whatever, we just need to get our dads’ horses in there for the night before sunrise. And we don’t want them deaf,” he said, ignoring Link’s glare, “so you get over there and we’ll work inwards. They’re skittish today, must be the weather,” Aldorn said, bringing up his horse to follow through with his directives. Link skulked a bit before obeying, herding the horses in from another front.

It didn’t take long before the last horse scooted itself into the gate and the boys had it shut. Link began counting heads to make sure the horses were all there while Aldorn got them both waterskins. “I hate days like this. I know it’s both our dads raising horses that brought us together and stuff, but I sure wished he’d picked an easier job sometimes. Sheesh. Ornery animals today,” Aldorn took a gulp of water while he handed Link his respective skin.

Link wasn’t paying much attention, but absently grabbed at the waterskin anyway, continuing to count. Rolling his eyes, Aldorn wrapped Link’s hand around the waterskin before letting go. “Swordtraining with Taryn was good today, though. You getting pretty good, for a nine-year-old,” the comment finally garnered a response from Link in the form of a glare, “don’t give me that, I’m the reason he took you anyway. You know how he is with communication, he wasn’t going to take a mute, remember?” Link ignored him.

“Ingrate,” Aldorn murmured.

Just then, Link began motioning something fiercely. Aldorn watched his hands intently, and managed to figure out that it had something to do with the horses. He couldn’t get much beyond that, though. “Huh?”

Link held up one finger, then pointed to the small herd again.

“Gah, why I let you count I don’t know. Gosh, if you can’t count, I’ll do it. Get stuck at 23?” Aldorn said, grumbling. Sullen, Link crossed his arms and glared at Aldorn indignantly as Aldorn counted once, then twice.

“Oh, darn. We missed one.”

__________________


~Proudly exploding combustible coconuts since 1993