Before there was Light: Part One

Um, a word of introduction... Before there was Light is nothing like Seven Years in feel. Seven Years followed one person (well, two actually) through a logical progression of events. This is the way probably every story you have read has ever gone. However, Before there was Light does not follow this pattern of a story. Rather then the study of an event, it is the study of a person. This might make the story seem a little slow for some, so please let me know if it's becoming a problem. As you will soon notice, about half the story is written as Impa experances the world, and the other half is written about what she remembers from the past. This is a more complex form of story that I first developed (I say developed, but I am sure someone else has do it as well) when writing The Sands of Time for Tales of Icirus. Sands of Time is slightly more complicated though, as it actually has several narators; but that is another story for another time...
Now, enjoy Before there was Light....


*****

Before there was Light
Prologue to the History of Hyrule

Given that Shiekah warriors are trained to ignore the elements and resist distraction caused by weather, it is strange that my first memory should be of being cold.

But it is.

I can see the cold stone walls of the cave my tribe lived in, hear the rain pounding down outside, see the look on Remha’s face as he told me both my parents had died in battle, and even remember the exact word’s he used; but what I really remember is that I was cold. I was cold, and no one would ever be there to hold me again. I could not have been over then about two winters old.

Death, it seems, has always sought to toy with me; never talking my life, but ensuring that those around me visit the grave long before their time. I have sometimes wondered why fate destined me to live among warriors, always surrounded by death, blood, war, and hardship. It is a life that has, at times, seemed more than any mortal should bear. Of course, Defaid would only tell me to stop being silly.
“Life is about more then pain and darkness, my little philosopher,” he would be chuckling, “try laughing more… Death smiles at everyone after all; all we can do is smile back!”
But that day, so many years before I even met Defaid, I could not find it in me to smile. I could not even find it in me to cry.

I could only think how cold I was.

And how I would never be warm again…

*******

“Impa, I cannot thank you enough for this…”
“What else would I do, Fiate? I swore to protect the child, and to leave that obligation now would be a dishonoring not only to the child and yourself but also to Julia, not to mention Defaid, Remha, and every other Shiekah in Hyrule.”
“Well, all the same, I cannot stress enough how wonderful I think this is…” his smile is enough to tell me his pleasure at this, but he feels compelled to comment anyway. I will never understand politicians, let alone Hylians….
“Come, Fiate… we are both warriors, and understand honor,” I let a small smile tug at the corner of my mouth, “even if you have sold yourself to the art of governing…”
“I may be grateful, but do not press your uncanny luck, or my patience, Mistress Impa,” he replies, laughing good-naturedly.

I look down again at the babe in my arms. I am to be her nurse, her second mother, and her protector. Many old women have told me this will be a harder task then any I have ever tried before; and I have fought in more then my share of wars. Well, I accept the challenge. I have had enough blood and death to last me many lifetimes, and children, no matter how much trouble they cause, rarely kill.

“Well, little Princess Zelda, it seems as though we both have new lives before us…”

*******

“Gah, Impa, are you even remotely focusing?” Remha’s words stung, but the real sting was from backhand that had just lashed across my face, “I do not wish to hit you, but you seem determined to let me!”

Shiekah children began combat training after six winters and, orphan or not, I was no exception. Of course, being an orphan was no exception at all among the Shiekah. As a race of warriors, widows and orphans were common enough; almost more plentiful then traditional families.

In truth I had not been paying much attention to the lesson. A mother and her children had arrived at the caves of our clan late last night. Shiekah of the far southern cliffs, their clan had been systematically hunted and killed by the river people; the arrogant, murderous Zoras. A traitorous Zora who the clan had trusted led the armies of King Zola to their cave, and the Shiekah had been slaughtered. The remnants of the family were all that was left of the clan, and Remha had decided to show compassion and take them in. And people say we Shiekah lack emotion…

I remember half-focusing on Remha as he came at me a forth time. He was obviously getting frustrated with me. I knew that a good warrior would pay careful attention to her lessons, dutifully noting how to block and ground an unarmed opponent, but the prospect of new children in the cave was too much for my young, untrained, mind to block out. I halfheartedly blocked a backhand slap from Remha’s right, thinking back over the family that had entered our clan’s cave late last night. As best as I could figure, there seemed to be an older son, one I thought had to be slightly older then I, and one roughly my height. In my perception, that meant it had to be around my age, and I found that prospect to be very inciting. Raising my other short arm, I parried a left backhand and considered the shortest of the newest clan members. There were no children my age in the clan, only young warriors several summers older then I and young babes one to three winters in age. This made my curiosity about the new ones all the greater.

I remember my head snapping back as Remha’s right caught me again. But what I remember even more vividly is the laugh. It was not from Remha, Din forbid that he ever chuckle about something as serious as the training for warfare, but from a figure who had just jumped into the circle we were training in. His red eyes sparkled, and I could tell he was not so much laughing at my pain, but at the word in general. He walked closer, black Shiekah clothing matching the long, black hair that hung over his ears to just above his shoulders.
“Impa,” he said, as though he had been practicing the name several times, and still found it humorous somehow, “Impa, Impa, Impa… Impa needs to learn to block if she expects to live…” he turned to Remha and bowed at the waist, straightening again to smile at the clan’s leader, “I see that you aren’t really hitting at her… just tapping when you get frustrated… very nice of you!”

He was only a hair’s breath taller then I, and I had never seen him before. Even my young mind could grasp who this was; the new boy from the river.
“Ah, Mistress Sefraid’s younger son,” I remember Remha was slightly taken aback that anyone would interrupt one of his lessons, “have you trained in the art of defense yet?”
“Maybe so,” he grinned wider, winking at me, “but I’m not very good at remembering things…”
“Well, remember and teach this distracted little ruffian… if you can, then you have earned a Master’s Rank in my eyes…” with that, he turned and walked off, waving his hands in a gesture of surrendered.

The boy turned back to me, bright eyes matching his smile.
“Been blocking long?”
“About two full moons,” I shrugged. Truth be told I was quite good for the short time Remha had been teaching me, but even in youth I was not one given to brag.
“How ‘bout jumping?” he asked, gesturing out over crags and cliffs.
I remembered I smiled for the first time in nearly three seasons.
“Since I was four winter’s old… I love it so much I do it all the time.”
“Race you up there,” he grinned, pointing up to a cliff high on Death Mountain. I grinned back; of course, the boy had no idea that he just pointed to my favorite spot, and he would soon find I knew the fastest way to get there like the back of my own hand.
“I will give you a head start,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. It was only fair after all.
“Well, only a fool refuses a gift like that,” he laughed, turning to take the first running leap.
“Wait!” I called. Halting from his sprint, the boy looked over his shoulder and raised a quizzical eyebrow.
“What’s your name?”

“Defaid,” he called back, “Defaid of the River Shiekah.” With that he ran and bounded away; leaping with grace and ease out of the shallow circle crater Remha and I practiced in.

Defaid… I remember that even at six, I knew I loved him.

*******

“Mistress Impa, could you spare a moment?”
Ensuring that Princess Zelda’s blanket is tucked tightly around her, I nod to the voice behind me.

I turn and walk back the door, raising a questioning eyebrow at the figure in the door.
“Yes?”
“There’s a man here to see you… he’s older and is wearing a monk’s robe… he said you know him…”
“Rauru? What in Narue’s name is he doing here?” I frown. It is not that I dislike the old sage, only that he never leaves his little hut on the skirts of Greudo Valley unless the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

“Impa! You are the child’s nurse, correct?” Rauru has never been one for discreetness, though I must admit I am surprised by his directness. Generally Rauru never uses one word when ten can be thought up.
“I am… though I am forced to wonder why this pertains to you, sage…”
“Cautious as always, eh Impa? Just as well, for if what I believe is correct, and in all modesty I am forced to admit that the success of my theories is of a high and-”
“Rauru, do you have a larger point?”
The owlish head bobs, and the old sage steps closer. I have to fight to restrain my nose from wrinkling at his distinct unwashed smell.
“Yes, I do. I believe the young princess might just be a rather extraordinary child.”
“And why might you think that?” It is taking all my patience to keep from shaking the old man violently.
“The stars never lie… I believe she possess some of the rarer Hylian gifts, perhaps even on a level high enough to merit sage-hood someday.”
“I see,” I am rather pleased at this, but I hide it well. I must admit that I am beginning to view the young princess like a daughter myself, and what parent isn’t delighted to learn of their child’s brilliance.
“And so I have come to claim the child and take her to my cottage… there we will-”
“YOU HAVE COME TO WHAT!?!” I am losing my normally reserved exterior in the face of this brazen stupidity. Powerful sage or not, Rauru is NOT going to take any child under my care back to the filthy hovel he calls a house, and especially not the crown princess of Hyrule!
“I have already explained the situation to Lord Fiate, and he and I are in agreement…”
Grunting, I brush by him.
“Where are you going? I need to see the child!”
“I’m going to talk some sense into Fiate… Zelda is sleeping and if you DARE to wake her I’ll personally kill you.”

I leave him with a steely glare that clearly radiates the honesty of my words.

*******

“When I catch you, I’m going to kill you Defaid!”
“I think you mean ‘if I catch’ Mistress Impa!” he laughed, jumping lightly away.

Cursing under my breath, and ran in pursuit. As much as I hated to admit it, Defaid was much faster then I in nearly all regards. And he was certainly proving it that day; snatching a flower straight out of my hands and easily putting a good distance between us. Fortunately for me, Defaid had forgotten a rather important fact about something I did much better then he.

“OUCH! HEY! NO ROCKS!”

Smiling, I tossed another small stone from hand to hand.
“If you want the rocks to stop, you had better give me back that flower…”
“Whatever…” he quickly slid next to me, handing over the rare bluish flower. I remember he actually looked quite crestfallen.
“Why did you want it so bad anyway?” I asked trying to lighten his mood.
“Well you picked the first Blue Pedal Flure… I had wanted to give you the first one, but then you got it… I figured that if I stole it from you I could still give it, right?”
I actually laughed a little at that. The idea was totally ridiculous.
“You were going to steal it from me so you could give it to me? Only a River Clan thief, Defaid… I thought you would have known better by now…”
He blushed slightly, crossing his arms.
“Impa, Impa, Impa…” even after eight winters in our clan, Defaid still found my name to be a source of constant enjoyment, “after knowing me as long as you have, you still think I have redeeming characteristics?”
“I do not think that at all…” I smile, “you have nothing to redeem. You are a complete saint who claims to be the worst sinner Hyrule has ever known… it is quite hypocritical…”
“If I’m a hypocrite, then I’m not really a saint now am I?”
Giving him a little push, I felt another rare laugh bubble out, “see! There you go again!”

“Impa! Defaid! Where are you?”
It was Remha, and he sounded worried. The two of us raced to reach him, curious to see what our clansman wanted.

When he saw us, Remha’s face became visibly relieved, but it was clear that something was still bothering him.
“There you are, thank Narue!”
“What’s wrong,” I asked, senses quickly spiking.
“Yeah Master Remha,” Defaid laughed, bowing slightly, “your two favorite pupils are present, what more could be asked for?”
Remha chose to ignore the rhetorical question and address my concern.
“The Tacka Clan, they were attacked by moblins…”
“Oh my,” Defaid murmured, sobering, “casualties?”
“Nothing too bad,” Remha waved a dismissive hand, “moblins are strong foes, but nothing an entire clan of Shiekah cannot handle… I was just worried that any loners might be picked off by additional raiding parties.”
“You know, Master Remha,” Defaid pointing at our leader’s sharp face, “when you lie your left eye twitches…”
I had never noticed this before myself, but Defaid was rarely wrong in his observations about people, so I nodded.
“What is the real problem, Master Remha?”
Remha looked from one of us to the other, and I could tell he was unsure as to whether he should speak his full mind. Finally he nodded, turning back towards the clan’s cave.
“You two are old enough to hear the worst… come to the meeting…”

*******

“What in Din’s name are you thinking!”
“It’s not unheard of,” Fiate is refusing to look me in the face, obviously feeling some hesitancy about the whole ordeal, “the sages have always been allowed to train the female members of the Hylian Royal Family… it has long been known that our women often possess magical…” he trails off, realizing I am showing no signs of understanding, “I take it you do not find this to be a good idea…”
“Fiate! The girl is two years old; TWO! YES this is a bad idea! Rauru is skilled in many things, but ‘child-rearing’ is not one of them.”
“Rauru has told me of the child’s potential, it may well be for the good of the Empire for her to-”
“Fiate, I do not want to hear about your empire! I want to hear about what Julia would want for her daughter…”

The wide shoulders slump and a tired sigh escapes his lips. His green eyes finally look up to mine.
“Impa…” I can see the uncertainty and doubt in his mind. He wants to keep his daughter in the palace, knows his wife would never let this happen, but Rauru has convinced him it is for the good of the kingdom to send her for immediate training. For all his faults as a father, Fiate is an extremely noble and self-sacrificing. If he thinks it is in the best interest of Hyrule to train Zelda as a sage, then she will be trained, regardless of what I, he, or even Julia might want.
“Fiate,” my voice softens somewhat, “Zelda is a very special girl, and I do not doubt that fate has something legendary in store of her, and she will have to be trained. However, she will be better able to handle that training, and act in a manner more befitting a member of the royal family, if you give her time to grow up here. Tell Rauru you will delay her training until the girl has reached her thirteenth winter; that will give her time to grow and still leave ample opportunity for her to be trained before adulthood.”
Fiate considers this for a moment, then gestured to one of the guards that lined the room.
“Bring Rauru to me. Thank you Impa, you may go…”
“If it is all the same, my lord, I would rather stay,” I have no desire to have Rauru come in a re-convince him that Zelda needs immediate training.

Rauru waddles in, a pompous air about him. I am delighted to see the smug grin fall from his owlish face when he sees me standing next to Fiate’s throne, arms crossed.
“Yes, your grace?”
“I have decided to delay Princess Zelda’s training until the onset of her teen years.”
His eyes darken slightly, and I can detect the subtle glare in my direction.
“Your majesty, if I may-”
“You may not. You will still train the child, Rauru, my mind is set in that,” I can feel Fiate’s gave come to rest on me as he pauses, “but I agree with Mistress Impa that the princess is much too young for it to begin immediately. Zelda’s training will begin midwinter of her thirteenth year, not a day before,” I feel his eyes return to me, “and not a day after.”

There is a lingering pause as Rauru takes this in. Finally he bows once more.
“You are indeed wise, Lord Fiate…” His eyes dart up to me again, frustration and anger plain in them, “I wish the same could be said of all your servants…” He straightened, looking back to the king, “I must return to my cottage, if you will please excuse me…”
Fiate nodded once, giving a dismissive gesture with his left hand.
“If you are sure you have no time to stay, then you may go… I had wished to discuss the new Greudo king with you…”
Rauru looks to me, and I nod. Differing thoughts about the princess aside, this is an issue we know we need each other’s support on. Rauru might be one to hold a grudge, but right now I am very glad he refrains from letting it interfere with what is necessary for the empire.
“Majesty,” He begins, clasping his hands before him in the common Hylian gesture of pleading, “the man Gannondorf, if he can even be called that, is not someone to be trusted… Both myself and Impa have seen him to be a-”
“Thief, murderer, liar, tyrant, and rebel,” Fiate finishes, listing off the more repeatable of the terms I have called the Greudo king, “but none of it has ever been proved. General Dunthua informs me that Gannondorf came to power peacefully enough, and according to the customs of the Greudo nation, no matter how barbaric they may seem. Dunthua assures me that not only does Gannondorf command great influence over the Greudos, he is likely to do so for the foreseeable future.”
“But sire,” I begin, stepping before the throne, “Naburoo is-”
“A rouge leader unlikely to come to ultimate power in her nation. Informants have told us that she and Gannondorf recently reached some sort of internal pact a few day ago anyway, placing him as the official head of the Greudo people. He has offered to swear his allegiance to the Hylian Empire, provided he keep his title and that all strictly internal affairs of his people be settled by him. The good general has told me we do not have the military power to fight a two front war with an allied Greudo and Zora nations. We must come to peace with one of them soon, and the Zora are reluctant to meet any demands on their sovereignty.”
“I do not claim to be a master in the art of warfare, or that of politics,” Rauru replied, coming to my aid, “but that fact of the matter still stands clear; Gannondorf is no the kind of man who will easily give up power, or who the Royal family of Hyrule would proudly call a friend.”
“Is this what the stars say?” Fiate queries, leaning forward.
“Well, no your grace, it is only what I know of him,” Rauru replies, bowing his head slightly, “the stars do not often speak of individual’s value; but the Greudo ‘King’ has often shown himself to be-”
“Again, that is what you say,” Fiate replies, settling back into his throne, “but I have never seen the proof. And while I hold both you and Mistress Impa in the highest regard, both of you have personal grudges against Gannondorf. I cannot help but ask if this clouds your evaluation of the man…”

The throne room doors have barely shut behind us before Rauru nearly explodes.
“Cloud my judgment! That arrogant fool of a king!” Rauru bristles, “why did he even ask my opinion? Does he merely wish to hear his thoughts coming out of my mouth?”
I am glad Rauru’s anger is directed at something other then our disagreement over Zelda, so I nod.
“He sees a quick way expand his empire and bring yet another race under his banner,” Rauru continues, almost unaware of my assent, “well, he will be forced to deal with that butcher of a Greudo king sooner or later, and I can only pray he has the foresight to see that. Unlikely though; the man sees only what he wants to see. You would think the bare fact that WE agree on something would be enough to shake the truth of it into him.”

I nod again, but Rauru has already turned towards palace exit.
“Rauru, where are you going?” I ask, gesturing towards my room. I had been hoping that he would stay and help me beat some sense into Fiate.
“I am returning to my cottage to observe the stars… I will get the proof that stubborn mule of a king requires and then I will return. Let us see him say the stars’ judgment are clouded!”
“Has there really been nothing?” I ask, stepping closer and lowering my voice.
“A burning red star has been hanging on the horizon over the Greudo Desert. I think it bodes ill, but it is impossible to get a good look at it from Hyrule Plains. And as you well know Gannondorf has forbidden me to enter the Greudo nation and tore down my desert observatory.”
“What of the stars you can see?” I press, sensing the full truth has not yet been spoken.
“Dark times are coming,” Rauru’s voice has dropped to a whisper, “and I fear Gannondorf may be involved. So is young Princess Zelda,” his yellow owlish eyes burn into me, “if you have her for her youth I suggest you keep a close eye on the princess. Train her in whatever arts you know, for trust me, one day our little princess will be the only thing standing in the Shadow’s way. I do not doubt the power of the Shiekah, or their magic, and I caution you to withhold nothing from her…”

With that Rauru turns back to the door, walking quickly. Reaching the end of the hall, he turns back, a look of curiosity on his face.
“What do you have against Gannondorf anyway?”
“Nothing that concerns you, Rauru…”
Turning, I walk towards my own room.