Chapter 2 - In the Beginning

In the Beginning




"...for beautiful glistening wings... and your soul..."

A man with pale blonde hair and pearl-white skin with eyes so dark they seemed black walked out of his small thatched roof home and walked forward before tapping his sandals. As he walked out he breathed in deeply, inhaling the wonderful scent of his rural village, and let out a content sigh. He looked around to find children skipping around the dirt roads as usual while their fathers tended to the crops and animals while their mothers took care of matters inside the house. The man stepped forward as a gentle gust of wind blew some of the hair slightly covering his right eye back to the side of his face, brushing his soft cheek.

The old village was busy that morning- when the sun peeked over the mountains to greet the blue sky, both banishing the dark of the night. Some farmers who were not in their fields at the time stood behind stands selling what they had harvested the day before. The road coughed dust in the air when passing horses would stomp upon it, where there would be riders returning from their trips to get supplies from the cities. There was a river running throughout the village where at the end was a water mill and as the young man walked along-side the river, his reflection danced along the surface of the water, bathed in the morning light.

At last he had come to the far-end of the village where he could see a small house with an enclosed fence next to it where there were many horses therein where they were in an open area. This house was on the edge of the village, which lay in a meadow surrounded by tall evergreens, so one could go out and lay under the shade. The man saw a small stable in the distance and he approached it, a smile crossing his face. As he drew closer, a young girl with golden hair tied back into pig tails came out of the stable struggling to carry a pail of milk. The man took amusement in this when studying the facial expressions she gave.

"Aryll, is Link in the stable?"

The young girl named Aryll looked up at the young man and smiled, "Yes, he is!" She said before resuming her grueling walk to the house next to the stable.

The young man walked in, at last being shielded from the sun's bright light, and once his eyes adjusted he saw his friend there. He was moving straw from a pile to where the large cows remained. The cows seemed to remain emotionless, moving their jaws slowly back and forth to chew on the straw given to them. Eventually the man raised his hand and smiled.

"Hey, Link! You're up to doing chores already?"

"Hey, Vaati! Why aren't you doing chores already?"

"Some farmer wives demanded they fish in my place today. They said they want to know what their husbands go through every day even though they farm out in the fields... those farmer wives, I tell you... they can be really tough sometimes." Vaati continued, "But it's nice... no work the whole day other than at late afternoon where I have to sell the fish before those wives cook dinner."

Link chuckled a little bit, stabbing his pitchfork into the pile of straw once again, "Well, that's no excuse for you to not do chores..." Link started.

"Oh, no, Link... you wouldn't!"

"I most certainly would!" Vaati could see Link's facial expression growing more and more suspicious, "It would mess up your daily routine. If you don't do anything today, you might become slothful the days to come! So..." Link paused for a moment, looking around the stable, "Milk the cows."

"Aw, Link!" Vaati whined.

He approached one of the cows anyway, and sat on the little stool next to it. He had taken another pail and placed it below the cow. From there he began to milk it. Even so, Vaati smiled. He looked toward Link once again to find him resuming his task. The cracks in the ceiling let only a ray of sunlight through and it touched Link's golden hair, making each lock shine brightly. His pale skin glistened as his blue eyes sparkled for a moment.

"You sure have changed since you first came into this village." Vaati suddenly said turning back toward the cow, "We were both eight right? It's been twelve years."

Link leaned the pitchfork against the wall, "Even if it has been twelve years, I still don't remember much from the time before I came here. All I remember is a bright light and that's it... then I remember waking up and finding myself looking up at mother's face." He stroked his hand along the wall of the stable, "Even if this place might not be my real home and family, I want to stay here forever."

Vaati took a fist and placed it in his palm, "Link, I got it! Maybe you were smitten in the face!" He started, "Like when you have scuffles in the street! You know how your vision sometimes flashes..."

Link interrupted him, laughing, "I really doubt it's that, but who knows!"

They were interrupted by a voice at the entrance of the stable, "Big brother, why did you let Vaati do my job?" She said stomping over next to Vaati, "That's my job! Shoo! Shoo!" She said pushing on Vaati's shoulder.

Link stared at the two as Vaati stood up chuckling at little Aryll as she plopped herself on the little stool, ready to milk the cow. The present time suddenly left him, fading to the back of his unconscious mind as his eyes saw another image.

A ball fell at his feet and bounced only a little ways when they had hit his sandals. He bent over, reaching out his hands and gently placed them on the sides of the ball, while his sun-kissed hair, now bathed in moonlight, fell in front of his eyes. As he lifted himself up and raised his head, hair now drifting to the sides of his face, footsteps scurried over to him. The owners of those feet that had quickly ran to him were boys his age. He now stood in the middle of their group, eyes all on him. Thinking they would offer for him to play with them, he flexed his elbows, stretching out his arms and offering it to the boy in front of him, smiling.



"Get out of here, you freak!" He replied.



The smile on his face fell to a frown as another boy pushed him, "That mark on your hand only means you are trouble!"



"That's right!" Another added, "He came out of no where- coming into this village with no life behind him and that mark on his hand."



"Freaks like you shouldn't be here!!"



They pushed him on the ground, the ball flying out of his hands and bounced off away from them. Pain suddenly hit him in the stomach as he was scraped along the ground. A tear left his eye as he realized no adults would come for him, they were too busy celebrating in their festival. The mixture of voices drowned out his screams. The boys had left him, trembling on the ground holding onto his stomach that was tight with ache.



"Good for nothing..." One of them muttered as they walked away and picked up their ball to go play in another place.



Quick gasps passed his lips as he tried to stand himself up. However, his knees gave in and they collapsed, causing him to fall to the coarse sand once again. Suddenly he felt an arm wrap around his and help him up. He turned his head toward the face of the one who had lifted him to his feet. He smiled and said,



"I don't care about your mark either if it's good luck or bad luck. My name's Vaati. I'll be your friend!"



It had been exactly twelve years since that day.

"Link!"

Link turned his head toward Vaati, who had taken Aryll off and once again seated himself in it. She was wrestling with him, and was now clung onto his shoulders and wrapped her legs around his torso. It was surprising that the cow didn't react to this activity. Link smiled and put the pitchfork against the wall and
held a fist in the air.

"Get him, Aryll!"

"What- that's not fair!" Vaati said in between chuckles.

The little blonde girl then pulled herself onto his shoulders and covered his eyes. Loosing one sense, Vaati lost his sense of balance and fell backward, as Aryll quickly moved. Link always thought she could be a monkey, that crazy little girl. Vaati acted like he was dead for a short while and the only thing that was heard in that very short moment of silence was the cow chewing on its straw. Aryll then crawled on top of Vaati and wrapped herself around him, thinking that would stop him from moving. However, Vaati got the upper-and when he set his fingers on her ribs and began tickling her. She shrieked and flew off him as Vaati stood up. Being the determined girl she was, Aryll charged at Vaati and wrapped herself around his leg.

"All right, Aryll, that's enough." Link finally said as he almost literally dragged Aryll off of Vaati's leg.

She then began giggling as she now lay on the floor, surrounded by straw. The other two eventually broke out into laughs again. Link took his hand and slapped it onto the back of Vaati's shoulder.

"Wrestling with a five year old and almost loosing... shows how much of a man you are!" Link blurted.

"Hey!" Vaati said slapping him on the back. For a moment, there was unorganized sound until Vaati took a deep breath, "The reason why I really came was to ask if you could help me out in preparing for the festival. The miller asked me to help him... lot's of fish to catch! You know how many people get fish at this time of year."

"Well, it's tradition to eat a fish the night of the festival, that's why they do it. I'll help you once I finish my chores here... but in return, you have to help me!"

Vaati sighed, "Fine, then..."

So that day, they had fed and milked the cows (with Aryll's help) and brushed the horses. They also had given them their daily share of oats, which was like a special treat to them and cleaned the bottom of their hooves. Link and Vaati also had spent some of their time training the new young horses. After washing and rubbing the saddles, rugs and reins, they moved on to Vaati's fishing chores. They spent three whole hours sitting on the shore of the lake, listening to stories constantly from the old miller. They had come up with competitions on who could catch the biggest fish, while the old man rambled on.

When Link and Vaati had finished all their chores and finished doing their part for preparations for the festival, they rested on a hill looking down on their small farming village. They had picked some mint leaves to chew on from a small patch and now were looking down on the village, watching the people light torches and make last-minute preparations. Vaati looked around himself and saw the fireflies set ablaze and twirling in the air, turning in directions one would not expect.

"Link," He started, leaning forward and putting the stem of the mint leaf in his mouth, "Do you remember the Glimmering Princess?"

"The one who flies across the sky every year, returning from a journey? Yeah, I remember."

"Some say that she's going to return to the castle tonight! It would be good luck if she flew over our village... the glimmering light she leaves behind will surely bless the village with another good year."

"Hm..." Link said, as he stuffed another mint leaf into his mouth and began to chew it. He leaned back on his hands and looked up at the sky, seeing the glowing stars above him. They stared down at him, blinking just as eyes would, "I wonder what she looks like..."

"What?" Vaati said, rather curious of the question.

"She looks like any other maiden, right? When we see her, she just seems to be a light with wings flying across the sky... but I wonder what she looks like when you're actually looking into her eyes..." Link started, "I wonder if she's beautiful?"

"Oh, Link..." Vaati said stuffing a handful of mint leaves into his mouth and shivered from the sudden burst in flavor, "There you go day dreaming again... there's one thing for certain, though..."

"And what's that?"

Vaati turned toward Link and sneered, "We'll be seeing plenty of pretty girls tonight!"

A torch was set in front of the large pile of wood, and it had caught fire. It had later burst into a flame and the multitude surrounding it cheered for joy. This was the fiftieth time a bonfire like this was lit... it was the fiftieth year of the survival of this village. That is when the festival started, and as soon as the fire was lit, people began to burst into activity. Dancing couples moved around the fire as children played in a close distance while those who loved the thrill of shopping went to the separate booths to search for goods. Lanterns were hooked on strings, which went roof to roof. Torches were lined on the street so people would be able to see easily.

Link and Vaati stood and watched the pile of wood burn with flames that rose higher and higher. The very sight of it would send one into awe, wondering how a thing such as that could possibly exist. Suddenly all knowledge leaves one's mind, and they wonder about such marvelous things as questions fill their mind. Gazing upon these things brings one to realize how ignorant they are.

"Link, you and Vaati can go and do whatever you want," an old woman standing near Link said suddenly, "I'll take Aryll."

Aryll went ecstatic and grasped the old woman's hand, "Come on, grandma!!"

Link waved his hand as he watched the old woman walk off with Aryll, "Bye, Grandma."

After she had gone off, Vaati slapped a hand onto Link's shoulder and chuckled, "That was the exact thing I wanted your grandmother to say..."

"What do you- ah!" Link was startled by the sudden mischievous look in Vaati's eyes.

His sneer, one would think, would be amusing if it was just spoken of. If you were to see it with your own eyes, you would then be greatly disturbed as well as suspicious. It was the mischievous look. The look telling you that he was going to do something no one would expect. Although Link knew very well what he was planning right after he saw those eyes reflecting the firelight.

"Girls, right?" Link said flatly.

Vaati nodded, "Now don't just stand there start looking! I'm going to see if I can find Malon anywhere..."

Malon was considered to be one of the most beautiful girls in the village. Every young man had his eye out for her. Oh, they would give anything to hold her hand and waist and move their feet along with hers in dance. Supposedly the thing that attracted them to her the most was her long fiery red hair and sapphire blue eyes. The way the men described her was that her face was so angelic, it seemed angels themselves flew down from heaven, carrying her in their arms and gently setting her down on the earth, a light still glowing above her head.

To Link's surprise, Vaati did find her and immediately, he commenced his "pretty boy prettiness".

"Malon! You are looking very beautiful in that festival dress tonight!"

"How flattering!" She replied, turning from her group of friends, "It took me a while to make."

"Oh, what talent you have! Surely you're single?"

"What do you mean?"

"Would you like to marr-"

Even before he could finish the word, "marry", he felt a sharp and brief pain brush across his cheek. He was slapped by Malon. In fact, she had struck him so hard that he stumbled backward and Link had to catch him before he would fall to the ground. Vaati rubbed his cheek, with a tear forming in his right eye.

"Ow... That's going to be swollen."

Even so, one slap did not stop Vaati and he continued to flirt with every single girl in sight. Link pitied him for all those bruises he received in the face, but he began to wonder if he deserved it. Finally, Vaati gave up and plopped himself on the ground.

"Gosh, this is harder than I thought..." He started, "I mean, look at me! You'd think for my beautiful face I would attract at least one decent girl..."

Link laughed, "Admit it, Vaati, I'm much better with the ladies than you!" Link then put his finger to his bottom lip, "Besides... your face is completely red right now..." He then began to chuckle, showing off his pearl-white teeth.

"Hey! That's not funny!"

They were interrupted by a call in the crowd, "Look! The princess returns!"

Immediately, everyone looked up to the sky, gazing into the darkness, plotted with silver stars. This shadow was soon overtaken and the stars put to shame when a glowing light suddenly appeared in the sky. It appeared to have bright golden wings, sending sparkles flying into the air as they flapped and shaped the wind. Link looked up in awe as she flew overhead, the Glistening Princess glowing bright as ever. He began to daze as the his surroundings suddenly seemed to disappear and all the talking fading into silence. The only thing he noticed, as if it was the only thing in the world, was the Glistening Princess.

"I wonder what her real face looks like..." He wondered.

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