Chapter Text
The sky overhead was dark and free from cloud cover, the stars twinkled at various magnitudes. The moon was a thin sliver, allowing the stars their chance to shine. The ocean waves were calm, causing the ship to rock gently from side to side. Seagulls were in their roosts for the night, so the squawking from the birds was nowhere to be heard. The only noises came from the swells of the waves crashing against the hull of the ship, and the occasional creaking from the wooden masts. It was a peaceful night.
Link rested on a pile of ropes, despite the numerous amounts of times he’d been yelled at for falling asleep on deck rather than in the barracks. It was hard to rest in the cramped, dank, and horrid smelling rooms when the open ocean air was so pleasing. He stared at the twinkling stars and identified the various constellations silently in his head. A passing deckhand glanced at him with a scowl, but walked away without saying a word, he was low in the ranks so he dared not to call his superior out.
The occasional flap of the mighty white sails was soothing, as was the calm salty breeze. Life on the ship was hard and strenuous work, but to Link, it was all worth it. He was meant to live on the seas. He knew it.
A loud bell rang once. Then twice. Link perked his ears and looked around in the darkness, the dim lanterns hardly helped with visibility. Off in the distance he could see a faint light, it was orange in color, he knew it wasn’t simply another star in the expansive sky because he knew every star by heart. It was another ship. He hopped out of his rope nest and leaned precariously against the meager railing that kept people from tumbling overboard. From this distance it was challenging to see if it was friend or foe, he was sure the captain above would be able to tell with his telescope. The bell continued to ring every twenty seconds, soon his fellow shipmates piled onto the deck and caused an unnecessary racket.
He scrambled to get away from the crowd in fear they’d accidentally managed to shove him over the rail. As a soldier he outranked most of the deckhands, they moved aside as he strode through the crowd. They didn’t know much about him, he preferred to stargaze when the crew was playing drinking games or singing sea shanties. He didn’t talk much either, and he wasn’t one who cared all the much for the latest gossip. Despite that, he was well respected. When he did speak, he was polite and courteous, and he often completed work that wasn’t part of his job.
As the ship neared, it was clear they were an ally. The massive red flag of the Royal Navy flew proudly from the crow’s nest, although it wasn’t in the best of shape, the edges of it were in ribbons. The massive boat was in dismal shape, one of her fine masts was splintered beyond repair and holes riddled the stained hull. Something was wrong, there was no doubt in Link’s mind that the navy vessel had been under attack, but by what would have to be explained when his captain boarded the other ship.
Just as expected, the captain sauntered down the steps and prepared for boarding. Everyone moved aside, bowing their heads as they did so. When Link bowed, his bangs covered his eyes and tickled his nose, it had grown quite a bit since he left home. He’d have to have someone cut it before he was reprimanded for unkempt hair, it would be a dumb reason to lose his dining privileges for a day.
The conversation lasted for what seemed like hours, most of the deck hands had dispersed before the captain returned. His normally stoic face was worried, that was not a look Link had seen on the proud man before.
“All knights meet in the Teal Room immediately.” the captain’s voice boomed loud enough for everyone on deck to hear, his stoic face returned and he walked heavily into the interior of the ship. Link obeyed and followed after him, now was not the time to lag behind. He and his fellow twenty soldiers crammed themselves into the room, even though it was one of the largest meeting rooms, it still was an effort to make everyone fit. This room, like many of the others, had wooden walls and an iron table bolted to the floor. A large painting of the captain was the only decoration in sight, it made for a rather boring environment.
The knights surrounded the table with the captain at the front, he unraveled a map and placed several different colored pins in it. The red pins represented all of the ships in the Royal Navy fleet, the yellow were attacked allies, and the black was the enemy.
“Listen up, and listen well.” the captain spoke with authority, “ The Albatross was under fire from enemy forces the day before last. We are the nearest vessel to the threat, it is our duty to apprehend the evildoers before they harm innocent civilians. We will set sail southbound immediately.”
Link stopped listening after awhile, he soon became preoccupied. He stared at the knight next to him, her uniform was wrinkled and had a few frays in the seams. Her white boots were scuffed with brown and black flecks. That was the case for everyone’s uniforms, Link’s included.
“Dismissed.” the captain said and then the knights dispersed, Link was painfully aware he hadn’t been paying attention at all. He played along and left with the others, the crew seemed to be on alert. The Albatross was sailing east towards the mainland, thankfully the damage it obtained was minimal enough in order for it to dock and receive repairs on its own. Link watched as the damaged ship sailed for home and disappeared into the black of night. Eventually he returned to his barracks, there everyone was gearing up for a fight, Link did the same.
He’d been in countless fights before, he wasn’t scared one bit. Pirates, hostile vagabonds, turncoats, rebels; he had encountered and defeated them all. He hadn’t been placed within the Royal Knights for no good reason after all, although his grandma often told him boasting about it would give him a big head. He was an excellent fighter, he knew it as well as his comrades, but there were plenty of people who could outmatch him. He just hadn’t met them yet.
His sword was new and hardly used, it was one issued by the Royal Reserves, so it was decent quality. Its tip was curved and thin, while the base was thick, it was standard and nothing all that special. Still it itched to be used, and good sword or not, Link was confident he could use it well in battle.
Changing quickly into his well kept uniform, Link waited with the others silently on deck, his hands rested loosely at his sides. The swell of the waves grew larger the more they trudged towards the notorious Hylia Sea, the clear black sky was broken up by ominous gray clouds. The waters ahead of them were known to be dangerous, pirates were not the only dangerous things that resided within. Riptides, sea monsters, violent storms, shallow reefs; the list went on and on. Technically the sea was under the King’s control, but ships were rarely sent into it. The Albatross had been pursuing a pirate fleet that had allegedly kidnapped a high ranking noble, but the journey had proven to be too much for them. Now it was The Drake’s turn to shine.
The Drake was a new ship with a green crew, they had no achievements under their belts and they had a lot to prove. While his shipmates were inexperienced with working as a team, they were still the best of the best. Royal Knights were carefully selected and trained, so Link was confident they’d be able to get the job done. Half of them, including himself, had already spent previous time at sea, so they were already accustomed to the sometimes grueling lifestyle.
It started to rain shortly after they entered the precarious sea, thankfully it was a light shower rather than a storm. The ship creaked and groaned as she tore through the waves with ease, the sails flapped vigorously with the unforgiving winds. Someone shouted as the salt water splashed them, but order remained within the ranks. Their commander was not one to trifle with, he held a similar rank to the captain and could issue out punishments as he saw fit. The entire platoon once witnessed a poor deckhand being berated for whining about the hot weather, his punishment had been to scrub all of the knights’ boots clean in the afternoon sun. He was a man who did not like excuses or slacking off, most of them tried avoiding him at all costs.
In the distance, a ship was spotted. It displayed no flags and one of its massive sails was torn. The Drake changed course slightly and charged towards the enemy vessel. On sea battle wasn’t as exciting as the children’s stories and plays made them out to be, the ship was miles away and it would be one slow game of tag. All they could do was wait and hope the inevitable fight would be in their favor. Around him some of his fellow knights mumbled a prayer to their preferred goddess, Link followed suit by lowering his head and hoped they fought well.
Their ship was able to outpace most vessels, this time was no different. They eventually caught up and a warning cannonball shot was fired near the nameless boat. Several minutes passed, but no white flag was raised. Instead, the enemy turned and fired a shot of their own, it missed but if they managed to reorient themselves, then The Drake would be in trouble.
Link held tightly onto the bar as his ship turned to avoid enemy fire, all they could do was circle each other closer and closer until either was in range to board the ships. The rain let up and the clouds dispersed, although the waves remained turbulent due to the heavy winds. Sunlight peeked over the horizon, its glinting gave the appearance of the water being on fire. Both crews glowered at the other, the pirates had their swords up and they shouted a variety of colorful slurs. The knights remained calm, they would not shout or act in such a way, they would fight with honor to the bitter end.
The ships finally were close enough for the gang planks to reach, although the pirates were already swinging onto the deck from ropes hanging on their broken mast. Fortunately the commander knew this tactic, the pirates were trying to cause mayhem so the front line would move away and leave the ship vulnerable to boarding. The pirates were easily struck down, the front line did not falter despite the chaos behind them. Link was in the back line, so he was in charge of fending off the swinging pirates.
One of them landed directly in front of him and began attacking mercilessly. Link managed to raise his sword in time to block the daggers before they embedded into his chest, he swung his sword up and managed to shove the pirate away. The clang of metal verberated in his ears as he struck the daggers once more. The pirate stumbled as another knight attacked him, soon he was cornered but he gave no sign of surrender. A knight knocked the enemy out cold with the butt of his sword, then they moved onto the next threat.
This continued until he was accidentally wacked in the arm by a knight’s spear, he couldn’t help but cry out because of the sharp pain. He fell back and regrouped with a few others who had been injured in the fighting, the commander continued issuing orders while he fought off a few stragglers. A pirate went for the commander from behind, Link, despite his injury, ran forward and fended off the attack. The commander turned around and struck at the man who had nearly skewered him, then he gave Link a quick nod before returning back into the action.
What happened next, Link didn’t know. He heard the sound of footsteps running behind him, but before he could turn around he was knocked out cold.
The smell of vinegar was overwhelming, Link’s head pounded with every rocking motion. The surface he rested on was soft and lumpy, the blanket draped over him was made of rough velvet. He could feel bandages wrapped around his forehead and right arm, both of which felt like they had been repeatedly beaten by an iron baton. He opened his heavy eyes and rubbed the sleep away with his good hand.
A familiar face greeted him with a smile, Link was relieved to see it was the ship’s healer, Pika. He dipped a cloth in a bucket of warm water and carefully placed it on Link’s throbbing head.
“Good to see you with the world of the living.” Pika said with a chuckle. He was a year younger than Link, and he had a slight accent that he’d never been able to place. He was a friendly kid, and despite his young age, he was a skillful healer. Pika was one of Link’s only friends on the ship, it was hard fitting in with the others when they were all older than him. On top of that, Pika was the only other Hylian on board. It was nice to have someone else like him around.
“You’ve got a pretty little concussion, and your arm is fractured. Hope you weren’t planning on using that anytime soon.” Pika stated casually if they were talking about a weather report. “I’d better grab Commander Nissa, he’s been wanting to see you.” Link nodded and then rested his head back into the pillow. He glanced around and was less embarrassed with his incompetence when he saw he wasn’t the only knight in the infirmary. There were five others with minor injuries, and then one with full leg splint that was still visibly oozing blood.
Link pulled the blanket over his face and sighed. He was a knight, not some amature swordhand. What a fool he was for letting himself getting knocked out. The commander likely wanted to reprimand him for being such an idiot, he would be doomed to scrubbing the decks for a week. A cough pulled him out of his thoughts, he pulled down the blanket and panicked when he saw his company was the commander. He quickly saluted and was honestly a bit shocked when a salute was returned to him.
“Sir Link, there’s no need to be on edge. At ease.” Link loosened up a bit, but he was still nervous by his superior’s presence. And also, Sir Link? Okay. Most people simply called him Link. Or Pipsqueak. Or Shorty. Or Island Hick. The list went on. It was nice being called his proper title for once. “That was an impressive fight you put up, I could use more soldiers like you.”
Link tried to thank him, but his throat was sore and all that came out was a raspy wheeze. Commander Nissa smiled and raised a hand for Link to stop.
“Don’t exert yourself, take your time to recover, I look forward to seeing you upside again. Oh, and one more thing.” The commander set a familiar folded piece of fabric on the bed. It was a simple light blue bandana with silver trim that his sister gave to him shortly before he enlisted, he typically kept it wrapped around his ears. It must have fallen off during the attack, he was glad to see it hadn’t been ruined.
“A friendly word of advice,” the commander whispered when he looked around and made sure everyone was asleep, “what they say is true. The King harbors an unreasonable grudge against Hylians, when we dock be sure to keep those ears covered. Got it?” Link nodded and happily tucked the bandana in his pocket, he liked to keep his ears covered to prevent sunburn anyways, most of the crew had some sort of covering to protect their ears and forehead from the sun.
As the commander exited the sick bay, Link realized what he had said was heresy. He could be in a world of trouble if word got out he was saying negative things about their King. Not that Link would be the one to tattle, he was neutral on the matter. Sure, the King had done much for the people; he expanded the land, reformed tax laws, fixed the mainland city structures, all sorts of stuff like that. It didn’t matter much to Link since he lived on a faraway island where those changes didn’t go into effect. Still, even he knew better than to question the King.
“Hey, I hope you’re hungry.” Pika said as he returned with a bowl of freshly made seafood stew. Link eagerly sipped it until it was gone, he almost wanted to ask for seconds but decided against it. The soup wasn’t the greatest, but he wasn’t one to turn down food.
Over the course of the next few days Link was incredibly bored, yet he was also glad he got to take a break. All he did was lay in bed and eat the bland soup, he was appreciative when Pika found a novel for him to read. It was about a group of rebels overthrowing a corrupt government. A bit overdone and fairly predictable book, but reading it beat dying from boredom.
He later found out the pirate ship had been sunk, the few survivors were down below in the brig, their fate would be decided when they reached the mainland.
When he was released from the confines of his bed, Link immediately went to the bow of the ship and was pleased to see land in the far distance. An unfamiliar man joined his gazing and leaned against the railing. He had a slight limp and his clothes were clearly spares, they were far too tight on him. Despite that, he held himself in a regal manner, Link knew this must be the kidnapped noble they’d been sent to rescue.
“Well met, Sir Knight. I hope you are faring well.” Link nodded, he was still too sore to talk. “I must admit I’m not made for life on sea, I’ve been ill since leaving home. I don’t know how you do it.” the noble paused and then held out his hand, Link shook it, “Thank you for saving me.” With that said, they returned to silence and watched as they approached the mainland.
Ships and boats of all sizes filled the harbor, the rock filled shore was filled with docks and various vendors. People spoke in all sorts of languages, they bartered, sang, and played instruments. It was almost too much. He missed his quiet island with the soft sand beaches, it had been a good four months since he last saw his family. Sure, some of his fellow knights hadn’t been home in years, that was a risk they all knew they’d face. Still, being away so long hurt, it wasn’t like he enlisted because he wanted to leave them.
The ship at last docked and Link hesitantly pushed himself through the crowds, people attempted to move aside when they saw his knight uniform, but he inevitably ran into the masses. He shoved his way through and marched towards the barracks once he spotted Commander Nissa. The housing area wasn’t as bustling, but it was still fairly crowded and uncomfortable. Link situated himself in a corner bed and sat down with his bag at his feet. Knights from other fleets poured in, their uniforms were all the same save for the little bird pins over their heart that showed which squad they belonged in.
“Will The Drake Knights please come with me?” Commander Nissa demanded after an hour of waiting. Link and the others followed him and one other person who looked to be part of the Royal Guard. His suspicions were confirmed when they walked up the main street towards the mighty castle.
Hyrule Castle truly was a sight to behold, it was considered impenetrable. It was surrounded by a thick stone wall, topped with ornate spikes and several watchtowers. The entryway was made up of three iron gates, which seemed to be a bit overkill. Inside the wall was an expansive moat, a meager wooden bridge was the only way to the castle doors. Every ten feet or so, there was a pot of oil resting on a post, in the case of an attack, the pots were destroyed so the walkway could be burned. The castle itself was made with ornately carved black stones, its mighty spires were the tallest things that pierced the sky.
The iron door was opened for them, four castle knights followed them as they filed in. The main entryway was incredible. Gold and red carpets lined the silver marbled floor, lamps and tapestries were placed tactfully on the walls, and bronze statues were displayed underneath massive crystal chandeliers. The air smelled of vanilla and pot roast, Link wondered for a moment if the knights were about to have a feast in their honor.
When the knights in front of him bowed, Link followed suit and dared not to move until he was told. Heavy footsteps approached from ahead, Link flinched slightly when a booming voice echoed throughout the chamber.
“So these are your knights? Impressive, Nissa.” Link frowned, he’d never heard the commander referred by only his name.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Oh. That explained it. The two talked more about things Link was uninterested in. Something Something Integrity Blah Blah Blah. His back hurt from bowing, but he didn’t want to be disrespectful by straightening himself up. He hoped they’d be finished soon, surely his fellow knights felt the same way.
“There’s a Hylian in your ranks?” the King grumbled and Link felt his blood freeze. His ears were covered, he made sure of it before departing the ship. Then again the bandana wasn’t exactly the most inconspicuous way of hiding them.
“Yes, Your Majesty. He’s a superb soldier, he saved my life-”
“Interesting. Come Nissa, we have much to discuss.” the King interrupted the commander and led him to a different room. Cautiously, Link snuck a glance at the two men. The King was a giant compared to the commander, who wasn’t all that small. His robes were made of black and gold silk, a scabbard was visibly fastened around his waist. His vibrant orange hair was decorated with gold fastenings and glistening rubies. He was an impressive sight, he definitely wasn’t a man one would want to cross swords with.
It suddenly dawned on Link that the topic of their discussion would likely be about him. He didn’t know if he’d be allowed to stay, heck, he might even be sent to prison. Truthfully he didn’t know what the law said, it never mattered back home, there no one cared. Link straightened when he realized no one was bowing anymore, some of the knights gave him quick, worried looks.
They were ushered into the dining hall and they made themselves comfortable on the red satin seats. The tables and chairs were carved out of ebony wood, red candles with gold stripes rested on the center of the table. Silver plates filled with a myriad of food filled the table, Link had never seen so many options at once before. All sorts of fruits, vegetables, pastas, deserts, it all looked magnificent; the centerpiece was a roasted goat covered with all sorts of herbs and glaze.
Everyone helped themselves and dug in, Link didn’t hold back as he stuffed the tremendous food in his face. It had been the first good meal he had since leaving home, it was a well welcomed treat. Even though he was stuffed, he made room for dessert and scarfed down a slice of pear pie.
The excitement didn’t end there, once the knights finished eating, they were invited into the courtyard and they were free to do whatever they wanted. Link leaned against a marble fountain and took in the sights. The pathway was made up with large slabs of gray striped stones, the bright green grass was cut evenly short. Shrubs lined the path, each was cut to resemble different creatures that Link had never seen before. Multicolored flowers grew in decorated pottery, large white fountains rested in each corner of the yard.
Before he could make himself comfortable, Link felt a hand gently clasp his shoulder. He stiffened and turned his head to see it was his commander, he didn’t look upset so Link relaxed his rigid stance.
“Pack your belongings, we’re sending you home.” he stated calmly and Link’s stomach dropped, he could feel his face pale.
“But Sir!” Link exclaimed while clasping his hands together, his injured arm protested the action and caused him mild pain.
“Calm yourself, you’re being honorably discharged until you’re fully healed. I’ll keep in touch with your healer.” Link lowered his head and nodded, he made himself look like a fool. A part of him was excited to go home, he missed his friends and family, but he wanted to keep adventuring. Oh well, the break would be good for him.
He and the other injured knights were escorted out of the castle grounds to the barracks. There they collected their few things and waited on their designated ships that would take them home. It turned out a few of his fellow knights weren’t from the mainland, they were from scattered islands just like he was. Only one other was on the same boat as him, it turned out her home was en route to Outset. Just before the sun set for the day, the ship departed and sailed away from the crowded city.
Link stayed above deck and let the wind ruffle his hair, unfortunately the cloud cover was thick so there would be no star watching tonight. Despite that, Link felt at home with the breeze and the crashing of waves below.
The knight, Kenna, kept him company. She had a thick cloth wrapped around her left eye, a large festering gash was visible on her cheek and brow, her leg was in a splint and she had to use crutches to get around. Link somehow doubted she’d be returning to the Royal Knights.
“They say The Red Hawk still travels these waters, what do you think?” Link didn’t know what Kenna was talking about, his confused expression must have given him away. “Don’t tell me you haven’t heard of that story.” Link shook his head and listened to her intently, he was curious. “A few years ago, there was a ship called The Red Hawk , all of her knights were elites. They were used to apprehend the worst criminals you could imagine, the ship itself is the fastest vessel at sea. One of the knights was Hylian like you, back then there were more of them in the knighthood. If I remember right, her name was Tessa, or something like that, I wasn’t a knight at the time so I never met her. Anyways, something happened. She took over The Red Hawk and fired at the ships in the harbor, she managed to sink twelve of them before she fled beyond the Hylia Sea. It’s said she still travels through these waters and attacks anyone she sees.”
Link shuddered, he couldn’t even begin to imagine what would have caused that knight to betray her own companions.
A flurry of bells rang out, Link searched around to see what the commotion was about. Despite the sails being open, it seemed they were travelling backwards, this was not the work of some mere ocean current. Behind them, a massive beast emerged from the black depths, cannons shot at it to no avail. The creature was at least twice the size of the ship, its many eyes were yellow and full of malice, it looked like a giant mutated squid. Two of its tendrils broke the surface and crashed onto the deck. The masts were left in splinters, the hull cracked, sailors were sent flying. Link was unable to take hold of anything in time, he found himself tossed unceremoniously in turbulent water with only a few measly pieces of wood to hold onto.
Desperately he tried shouting for help, he witnessed a few people bobbing their heads under the water, only a few of them resurfaced. Link found himself drifting further away from the ship, he stopped yelling after a while to prevent himself from accidentally swallowing any more of the seawater. The monster vanished once again into the depths, the remains of the ship shortly followed it. He thought he could make out the silhouette of a lifeboat, but it was too far away and it seemed to be going in the opposite direction. Still, Link hollered one last time in an attempt to catch its attention.
The effort was a waste, the small boat was out of sight and Link was alone in the empty ocean. Now was not the time to panic, he held tightly onto the wood and treaded lightly with his feet. Conserving his energy was the most important thing right now, he’d have to find his way to a ship or island without any food or fresh water. He drifted for what seemed like hours, there was no sign of rescue in any direction. His nearly healed arm burned in the salt water, the bandages that kept it safe were long unraveled and gone.
At last a thin strip of land appeared in the distance, there didn’t appear to be any buildings on it, but even a deserted island beat floating around in the ocean. The waves crashed him onto the sandy shore, his legs wobbled as he tried to stand. When that failed, he crawled forward and leaned against a palm tree.
The island was filled with all sorts of trees and plants, thankfully it was the time of year when they grew fruit. Small white and yellow crabs scuttled across the beach, seagulls hopped along and feasted upon them. The only noises to be heard were the island birds and the splashing waves. It was a potentially risky move, but Link was beyond exhausted, he hung up the majority of his soaked clothes to dry and he promptly fell asleep under the safety of the tree.
The following morning he was awoken by the call of a rather obnoxious seagull. His legs weren’t as sore, but he still felt tired. He worked up the strength to stand and he began to explore the island, eating fruits as he went along. The clothes he left on the branches were dry, so he put them on and ventured into the forest. He found a small spring not too far from the beach, it would be important to remember its location so he had unlimited access to fresh water.
Link was surprised to find signs of humans who had once found themselves on the island, there was a half ruined lifeboat embedded into the sand along with a few stray buckets and tools. The dingy could prove to be a useful shelter with a bit of cleaning up, the knife would definitely be of use. He cut down several strong branches and palm leaves, he used them to prop the boat up at an angle and laid the leaves against the opening to keep bugs and rain out. It was warm enough that fire wasn’t an absolute necessity, but having one would make himself feel more protected.
Building a fire was something he had always struggled with. He knew how to build it and set it up properly, it was lighting it that always gave him problems. Link collected dried twigs, sticks, and some dead plants which he built into a pyramid shape. For several minutes he tried to create a fire but couldn’t even manage to create a single spark. He gave up, figuring it was best to use his energy for something else. The surrounding bushes had hundreds of purple berries Link knew to be safe, he collected them with the bucket and plopped a few of the bitter fruits in his mouth.
When the sky went dim, he knew it was time to stop foraging for the day. He hunkered down in his crudely made shelter and closed his eyes. While collecting the fruit he hadn’t seen any more signs of human life, it seemed he was truly alone.
The days to follow went like the previous, Link started the day by failing to start a fire, he hoped it was the oppressive humidity and not his skill causing him to fail. He ventured further into the forest and collected more fruit, he was pleased to find a durian and at last he could have a break from eating nothing but the sour berries.
On the twelfth day he managed to at last start a fire, he celebrated by roasting a few crabs he gathered from the beach. He kept track of the days by etching a dash into the side of the boat. On the twenty fourth day, things were starting to go downhill. Most of the bushes had been completely stripped of their fruit, Link recognized many of the trees to be the kind that yielded durians, it seemed the one he managed to eat from was an early bloomer as none of the others bore any food. Since being stranded, he had yet to spot any ships. The wound on his arm made no improvement, it festered and seemed to be in a perpetual state of puffy red.
The following day he swore he heard shouting and laughing. Curiosity got the best of him, he crawled out of his cramped shelter and walked towards the beach. His stomach rumbled in protest, but there was nothing left for him to eat while he explored. He followed the voices and hoped there really were people and it wasn’t him going delirious from solitude.
When he peeked through the foliage he was delighted to see there were people on the beach, and judging from their pleased expressions, they weren’t stranded. Just as Link was about to pop out of the forest and greet the sailors, that’s when he saw it. On the nearby ship flapped a familiar flag. A black flag.
They were pirates.