Skies Over Hyrule

Three suns shined down out of the sky, a window of crystalline blue, onto a tiny valley lush with green. It was summertime in the valley of Rin. The air was thick with the scents of Hoopleberries and Hyoi pears, the lake reflecting the blue of the sky rippled with a gentle breeze. Butterflies and bees chased each other playfully through the tall cornfields, and the trees danced and swayed as though only they could hear the music that was the constant background music in all of Life.

The quaint village of Rin was located in the very middle of this valley, fields and grass surrounding it. To the north was a large lake and further north from that was the tallest mountain of those protecting Rin from the world outside. On this mountain, it is rumoured that the demi god, the dragon Valoo guards this spire. The Ice Mountain is what the villagers call it for it is the only covered in masses of ice and snow. The only proof the villagers have of Valoo’s existence are the occasional roars and growls from that direction.
A young girl walked out of one of the thatched bungalows that populated the tiny village. She was about twelve, with hair like gold and emerald eyes in which sparkled a level of calm and maturity not granted to most girls her age. Dressed in a simple blue shift, that was a little threadbare, and carrying a large pot on her head, she set off barefoot towards the dusty road that ran through the middle of the village.
Just outside her house, to the left were some bushes that ringed the edge of a small pond close to the house. To the right a little ways away from the house was a once-bright red postbox. The Postbox had been in the valley for as long as anyone could still remember, and for this it was treated with great reverence. It was one of the jobs in the village to upkeep the Postbox, even though it still worked. Lera approached the Postbox, set down the pot she was carrying, and reached into her pocket for a handkerchief. She began polishing its rusty red exterior when the thing cried “Goooood Morrrning!” in a rather goofy voice, and immediately began coughing as though the poor thing had a head cold.
“Shhh, shhh,” comforted Lera, patting the seemingly inanimate object on the top. “Come now, you’re old you shouldn’t be yelling like that, Postbox-san.”
“Mail - cough, cough- for- cough- you!” Here the Postbox broke into another coughing fit. It then spat out a couple letters into the girl’s hand. Lera examined these and then put them into her shift pocket.
“Thank you, sir! Get better soon!” she said cheerfully, giving it another pat.
“Iie...” the Post-box groaned.
Lera breathed in the warm, breezy air. What a perfect day for flying! She thought. Hardly a cloud in the sky and the suns weren’t too bright.
“Lera! Lera!” Lera spun around to see three little boys ranging in age from seven to nine, looking up at her with the utmost innocence.
“Lenni, Zilli, Jack, what are you all doing here?” They grinned in unison.
“We found something really cool in the pond!” cried Jack excitedly, who was the eldest of the three, his blue eyes wide and his freckles popping out excitedly. He was holding something behind his back.
“Betcha can’t guess what it is!” grinned Lenni smugly. He was a born ladies’ man, handsome for a little boy with his dark red hair, candy green eyes and dark brown skin. Whatever charm he had against the other women in the village, it never worked on Lera.
“Yea! Betcha can’t!” echoed Zilli, the youngest of the three, as well as the youngest child in the village. He was so adorable especially with the dimples and huge gap in his big smile from the two teeth he had lost, and his seafoam green eyes, still held their baby’s charm.
“Hmm. Let me think,” Lera frowned as though actually trying to guess what it was that Jack held, as the thing croaked loudly.
“A worm?”
“No!” chorused the three. Ribbit! Ribbit!
“A puppy?”
“I wish,” said Lenni. Ribbit!
“Oh I know! It’s a baby dragon, isn’t it?”
“No! It’s a frog!” Tossing his dark hair out of his eyes, Jack brought out the hand that he had hidden behind his back, triumphantly. Sure enough, there was a frog in it.
“It’s reawy cute, doncha fink, Lewa?” chirruped Zilli.
“Yup it is!”
“You’re the only girl in the whole valley who isn’t afraid of frogs, Lera,” said Lenni, waving his about his arms to show just how wide the valley was. “Mako and Rini are, and so is Mum.”
Jack placed the frog into Lera’s cupped hands where it croaked contentedly.
“I think he likes you,” mused Lenni.
After playing with the boys and their newfound friend for a bit, Lera continued walking, pot on her head, and headed down the dusty path. Coming to her right was another cottage that belonged to Impa, the wise woman; but a much younger woman stood there on the porch holding a broom.
Nineteen year old Saria was the village’s pride. She had been orphaned as a baby, but she was everyone’s child, and every child’s sister. The eldest villagers raised her well. She was beautiful, with large dark eyes, and dark hair in a long thick plait down her back. Her cheeks were rosy and she had a smile for everyone. Not only was she pretty but she was smart and hardworking. She was training to become the next wise woman after Impa.
“Why hello Lera,” she said, genuinely happy to see the young girl.
“Hi, Saria!” called Lera, bounding up the porch steps eagerly, tucking the pot under her arm. Lera really liked Saria, in another time or place they would be sisters or best friends.
“Where are you off to?”
“I’m bringing food to Ayan-san’s animals.” Ayan was the solitary man who lived on the other side of the village.
“Well, that’s mighty nice of you. Hey,” she said suddenly and knelt to Lera’s level, leaning in as though to share a secret. “Have you been practising that spell I taught you?”
Lera grinned and nodded. “Uh huh! I can light a fire now nine times of ten!” She blushed with pride.
“That’s wonderful! Wow, you are learning unusually fast.” She frowned thinking hard. “I’m going to have to come up with something else to teach you. When I think of something, I’ll let you know, okay?” She straightened. “Well, see you around, Lera.” She winked and walked back into the house.

A little ways off, across the path was the huge camphor tree on a large hill the villagers worshipped. It was a huge beautiful thing, its leaves swayed gently in the breeze. Under the tree stood a small girl of about nine, looking even tinier than usual in comparison to the tree. She was fine boned and slender, her limbs a bit gawky looking. If her shoulder length dirty blonde hair was not covering her face, one would see her eyes were silver, the only beautiful thing about her mousy appearance. In her small hands held a strange looking contraption, she was holding up towards the three suns. Lera walked up the hill, set down the pot, and sat down next to the girl.
“What are you doing, Rini?” Lera asked, curiously.
“What?! Oh, hi, Lera,” the younger girl looked startled. “N-Nothing, really...”
“Oh, come on, tell me! Is it a new invention?” Lera pressed her young friend, excitedly. Rini was something of a child prodigy. Nothing pleased her better than to tinker with old machinery, and see what she could create. She also had a good eye for observing things, and studied the various plants and animals in the valley. Her only problem was that she was extremely shy.
“Um... well, it is new, but it’s more so a reinvention.” She looked at the apparatus, turning it over in her hands, hair still covering her face. “Well, it’s a binoculars, see? But, I thought that ordinary binoculars can get so tiresome. First of all, when you look at something near the suns, it blinds you, so I put in a sensor that will change to a tinted lens immediately when you look at bright light.” She pointed to a little light on the top of the thing. “Also,” she seemed to be gaining some confidence now, “it doubles as a pictograph!”
“A what?” asked Lera.
“Well, it takes pictures of things you want to remember. It’s a very old invention. I had to look very hard to find out about how it works. I read about a hero who had one. I think his name was Lawrence, or Lenzo, or something. Anyway, you just push this button,” Rini pointed to the specified button, “and it takes a picture.”
“That’s ingenious Rini,” said Lera staring at the machine with genuine awe. Rini was so amazing. Rini blushed, she wasn’t used to compliments. “It’s nothing really, just some silly contraption... But there’s only one drawback. I need one of those Forest Fireflies we get from the Kokiri, so it can take pictures in colour. I don’t have enough money for one, nor will Papa allow it.” Rini looked rather downcast.
“Don’t worry about it, Rini, I’m sure things will look up.” Lera stood up and put a comforting hand on Rini’s shoulder. Rini looked up.
“Thanks, Lera,” Rini said, smiling a little.
Lera hopped down the hill and continued walking down the dusty path towards the village. For acres spreading outward, were the cornfields, but right next to the road were the Hyoi pear tree orchards. The fruits’ golden bodies sparkled in the sunlight, their white blossoms turned upwards to the suns. Just then, the Hyoi blossoms were scattering their afternoon spores. The air was filled with golden dust, and it was this Lera ran through excitedly, arms outstretched, the pot balanced perfectly on her head, as though she were Zilli’s age, again.

It was late afternoon when Lera reached the village square. There was a library, where the children went to class taught by young Lilith, Lenni’s beautiful mother, and where Rini had gotten her information. There was also the mill, which was the tallest building in the valley, the huge water wheel turning without fail, as the small river ran through it. There were the other cottages as well, belonging to the other villagers, but it was the mill Lera was heading for.
Lera tucked the pot under her arm as she reached the front door, and visibly bracing herself, she picked up the heavy pewter knocker in the shape of a triangle, and knocked three times.
“HO HO HO!” cried a deep, rumbling, but jolly voice. Lera jumped at least three feet into the air, almost dropping her burden. “COME IN, COME IN!” Shakily, Lera took a deep breath, opened the door and gingerly stepped inside.
The interior of the mill was plain, just a small wooden room connected to a large stone room where the grinding of the grain took place. In the front room there was a long counter standing perpendicular to Lera. Behind the counter were two adults, covered in flour (as was everything else in the room) and sitting on a stool set in front of the counter was their small girl. Mako was Jack’s twin sister, and as far as she was concerned the elder of the two. She shared Jack’s brilliant blue eyes and freckles. Her hair, now streaked prematurely white with flour was no tamer and if anything was wilder, for it was long and somewhat curly. To temper it she wore a lake blue headband that matched her shift. Behind the counter and closest to her, was her mother Val, the baker and the miller’s wife. She was a rather large woman and though she had the appearance of a sweet-tempered woman, her bark was something to be feared. Next to Val, was the miller himself, and he was every bit as large and beefy as his voice. He had no neck, his face was jolly and red, and under his nose was a most ostentatious moustache. Though he was much larger than his wife, it was said Mistress Val never had to repeat herself twice to anyone, let alone her own husband.
“Hullo Val and Ellis-san. Hi Mako,” mumbled Lera, bowing hastily to the former two of the three.
“LERA, LERA! GOOD T’ SEE YE, KIDDO! HOPE I DIN’T SCARE YE!” He walked around from behind the counter and gave Lera, what he thought was a gentle pat on the back. Lera’s knees gave out from under her and she collapsed onto the floury floor.
“OH, SORRY, YOUNG’UN!” Ellis said in a softer voice, which really wasn’t much softer at all, and helped Lera up, by picking her up by the scruff of her shift.
“Now, Ellis, be nice,” said Val reprovingly. “Come to get some flour for ye gramps, eh?”
“Actually,” said Lera, breathlessly when Ellis had set her down again. “I have some mail for you.” Lera shifted the pot under her other arm and reached a small hand into the pocket of her blue shift producing an envelope.
“Why thank you, honey bun,” said Val sweetly. “I’ll take that.” She opened the letter and began to read. “Oooh, it’s from Lilith…”
Lera nearly laughed aloud. Lilith-san lived across the path with her husband Vanden-san.
It just did not make any sense! Why walk all the way across the valley almost to put a letter in the poor old Postbox, when the person who you meant to send it to lived just next door? Mako hopped down from the stool and ran to Lera, interrupting her thoughts.
“Hey, Lera? Is Rini alright?” Mako was a bossy little girl but when it came down to Rini, Lera was sure she would do anything to protect her. “She’s been kinda quiet lately.”
“I think she’s fine. She was working on a new invention to-day,” replied Lera, thoughtfully.
“Oh. Okay,” said Mako, but her brow was furrowed and she bit her lip. “Hey! Guess what?” she said, brightening up suddenly.
“What?”
“Mama said the Kokiri are coming to the valley to-night! And they’re coming in that big ole ship of theirs!” Mako had hooked Lera's attention. The Kokiri were also known as the Forest Children, and every year they would come to Rin to trade. They would come with their stories and music of the Forest Haven where they lived. They brought exotic candies and pretty furniture, and tended to the Deku Tree their ancestors planted in Rin as a gift. It was quite a ceremony. But what excited Lera most was the huge sky ship they came in. Lera had always been fascinated by flying. Even when she was very young, Lera had always wanted to be a Kokiri, for each one, when they became of age, earned a Deku Leaf from the Great Deku Tree, so that they could fly whenever they wanted.
“Well, I’d better go get ready then!” Lera was so excited she could hardly think straight. She felt like her head was in the clouds already. It took her some time to realise Mako was tugging on her shift for her attention. “Er… yeah?”
“Um.” Mako was blushing. “Could you- could you ask your brother, if he- um…”
“What, Mako?”
“If he- um, likes Rini?”
“Likes Rini?” questioned Lera. She was a bit confused. Why would her little brother, Link not like anyone, especially Rini? The happy head-in-the-clouds feeling hadn’t quite gone away yet. She didn’t even see that Mako looked uncertain, and Mako always at least put on the façade that she was.
“Yeah…”
“Um, sure! See you to-night!” Lera turned to address the adults. Val and Ellis were still engrossed in Lilith’s letter. “Good night, Val and Ellis-san!” With that Lera, turned around and skipped out the door, pot on her head.
Lera skipped wildly down the path until she reached more Hoopleberry bushes. A little path, nearly invisible from the view of the road, was coming up to her left, and it was this path that she continued skipping down, gently pushing plants out of the way. Soon she came to a little clearing in which was a large shack. Further on, tending to some pear trees with his back turned to her was a young man, in his late twenties. He had Zilli’s light mousey brown hair, and Rini’s light grey eyes. Brangen was the widower father of Rini and Zilli, and though he was a handsome young man, his eyes were permanently sad since the death of his wife. Even though he took care of the valley’s crops, with the help of his best friend Vanden, he shared a passion of the sky with Lera.
“Brangen-san!” cried Lera, now running to him. “I heard the Kokiri were coming to-night, in their big airship! Isn’t that exciting! Maybe we can go in it, and see how it works!”
Brangen smiled down at the young girl, her face was flushed with excitement.
“And then we can see how to make your airship work!” Lera continued breathlessly. It was true. In a far corner of the clearing, behind the shack where he lived, was his tiny gunship, his pride and joy after his two children.
“Maybe, kiddo,” he said in his quiet voice and with a rare smile. “Maybe.”
“But aren’t you excited?”
“Of course I am!” and he even chuckled, though a quiet chuckle. “But to-night is not long from now, and there is much to do in between.”
“Aye, aye Captain Brangen!” said Lera in her important aviator voice. “I shall inform our navigator and inventor of the good news!” The navigator and inventor was none other than Rini herself, who read much on the subject of planes. “Just wait ‘till you see her new invention!” With that, Lera ran off.
Brangen smiled after her. She was good medicine for him, and for his young daughter, too. Though Mako the miller’s daughter was undoubtedly Rini’s best friend, she looked up to Lera. And Lera reminded him of how he was when she was his age. A born adventurer.

It was getting late. Though the bugs were not out yet, other colours were starting to stand out along with the blue of the sky. The suns were not near setting, but long shadows were appearing all over the place. As Lera continued down the dusty, yellow path, Ayan’s isolated bungalow came into view, where the fields ended. Ayan’s abode was styled just like the others. The only thing that set apart the homes was that this house had a large pen filled with chickens and one pig, built adjacent to it.
"Hello, Mr. Pig!" called the girl cheerily, hoisting the pot on her hip as she approached the pen. The large spotted swine started and then gruffled in response as though he could understand her words.
Setting the pot down and then leaning over the waist high fence, she petted him on the head. Then she climbed over and set about pouring the contents of the pot into the wooden feeding trough at the back of the pen. That done, she stepped back as the chickens clucking and the swine snorting, clambered eagerly towards the cornmeal and husks.
"Lera," said a man's voice, from the direction of the house. Lera, startled, spun around quickly, her loose hair catching her mouth and lashes.
The man standing on the porch was not like most of the men in Lera's village, in many ways. Most conspicuous, was the way the man looked. His skin was brown and his hair was white and long in plaits that reached midway down his back, and he was of middle age, though this was not what was so strange. Where a mouth and a nose were placed on a normal man, he had a beak. His arms were draped in beautiful white feathers, that matched his hair and where his feet should be, were two, three-toed yellow claws, much like a chicken's. In essence he looked like a bird fallen out of the sky making the best of things living amongst men.
Lera often wondered if he could fly, and if he did so with regularity wherever he had come from before landing here. Flying was evidently still on her mind.
"Hello Ayan-san," said Lera shyly, bowing as she spoke. She approached cautiously, first slowly climbing back over the fence and then walking up the steps until she stood in front of him. Rumours flew like crows about the village of the birdman's many felons including disappearing suddenly in the mornings to gather children for baking into chicken potpie, which Lera thought ridiculous especially since the man was probably half chicken himself. Yet, Lera was still apprehensive, not because of the rumours, but because Lera felt something about the man, something that probably made him strange even to bird people's standards.
"Thank you for feeding my friends for me." Ayan's voice was soft and there was a shine of sadness in his red eyes, as though he was remembering some painful past.
"You're welcome. Grampa thought you might need some company, so I thought I could do something." It was true. Lera's grandfather had become good friends with the bird man from before Lera was born. Since then, he had taken to visiting him almost every day.
"I see you have become good friends with Bristle," he said, gesturing to the large swine who was busy snorting down his midday meal, cornmeal splattered all over his snout. "Conceited git," he muttered as though irritated, yet Lera could sense the affection in his tone. She giggled.
"I think Mr. Pig was a lord in his past life!" This brought a chuckle from the man.
"I'm sure he was." He turned to look at Lera. It was a strange piercing look. Lera almost stepped back, but she stopped herself and gazed back, more curious than anything.
"You know, child... You remind me of someone..." he frowned, not in anger or frustration, but with the look of one trying to recall a lost memory. Lera looked down blushing furiously. However strange Ayan is, she thought to herself, reprimanding, it is rude to stare down an adult.
"...Yet, I sense something special about you..." Lera looked up, startled.
"Forgive me, for my scrutiny child," said Ayan abruptly, as though he could hear her thoughts, gingerly patting her shoulder. He shook himself as though coming out of a trance.
"Ah, well, come, come. I am sure they are all wondering where we are. Someone takes some time to truly think about the things that really matter and they call it, ‘shirking village responsibility'! Honestly!" Ayan continued muttering in this fashion as he hopped down the steps and down the dusty road back towards the centre of town. Lera watched him, vaguely wondering how he knew about the visitors. Something special about her? Special were the people in Weedle the travelling salesman’s stories of mage princesses and the brave young knights who saved them. She smiled. No, there couldn't be anything special about her. She was just a simple village girl.

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