Between Knights and Soldiers (FLASHBACK)

My late mother a Sheikah, my father a Hylian knight. My brother a soldier. It just seemed right. But after enlisting for some time, I found there was no challenge here. No new battles to fight. No meaning to be found. I quickly rose to prominence, but found no enjoyment in endless drills and the occasional scuffle. Perhaps there was such a thing as too much peace. Eventually, it became just too much for me. I decided it was time to find the thrill I craved. To do that, I bid my family farewell and ventured to Hyrule. Our family had history here, I was told. It would be an honor to serve, I told myself, and I would find the challenge I craved. The battle I sought. I wanted more, and here I may well have it. Not wanting my family name or the color of my eyes to fill in the lines of my path though, I never ventured onto the field without a set of contacts to mask my eyes. I took a surname unknown, passed myself off as a farmer’s boy and enlisted while pretending to know little.

That was about seven years ago. And perhaps I was a foolish boy then. This land is vast, rife with danger. Far more than I could have imagined. But not by the amount of monsters. My homeland had around the same. It was the people. Hyrule was crowded, perhaps overly so. It’s one thing to fight large groups of monsters. It is another to keep people safe when they find themselves in the crossfire.

I learned many lessons. Most of them the hard way. But I’m a less young man now. Perhaps nearing my 30s isn’t old to some, but considering I’ve served in one military or another since I was 16, I feel my age more than most. But despite my harsh lessons, I worked as hard as could be. My ancestors had fought to keep this land safe. And I couldn’t let them down. I couldn’t let this land fall should calamity ever befall it. And I can’t let the King down either. He saw something in me, saw my fire and my passion and he was the one who helped me temper it into a weapon worthy of Hyrule. He is one of the few who knows where I come from. He, and my wife. One day, I hope for my young son Hendrik to find out the truth as well. And one day perhaps be able to choose what to call himself. Perhaps he will take the name I now find myself too ashamed to don again. How could I, when I had forsaken it out of a foolish sense of pride?

The King was the man who set me on the right path. He is why I can now call myself the Knight Captain. I haven’t been appointed for long, but some have begun to refer to me as the Guardian Shield of Hyrule in reference to my deeds. Neither are titles I can take lightly. For the King, I fight. For the King, I will protect. And one day I will protect his line as well. He has a son now, Leon. He is around my nephew’s age, according to the few letters my brother has sent. Though I’ve never met them. I haven’t been home since leaving. I regret it sometimes, even miss them. But this is where I belong now. With the King. With my new family.

My name is Barrett Tethras. Captain of the Knights of Hyrule. And I will do whatever it takes for my wife, my son, my king, my kingdom, and her people.”

—-

A mission spearheaded by Commander von Brandt. One that it sounded best he supervise, he quickly knew. Especially as some knights had volunteered. One of such was a newcomer to the fold, a woman with unique talents, but a frosty exterior. Ursula was an enigma, one he knew little about. Perhaps in time, he would get to know more.

The Captain had arrived early, going through papers nearby while waiting for everyone to arrive. Might as well keep busy in the meanwhile, right? He did serve a nod in acknowledgment to those who arrived, including Ser Ursula, though. Lady knights were ser, right? Or was it sir? A year in as Knight Captain, albeit one of the youngest to ever be appointed, and the King hadn’t explained that part. Not had his predecessor who he was pretty sure didn’t know either.

As one would expect, the knight captain was already present, yet Ursula, while an accomplished battle maiden on the field, thought of nothing to talk about with a man she hardly knew.

As a result, the pensive silence and the mixing of parchment.

Suddenly, the dame’s head snapped upward as a loud and charismatic voice broke the peace. Her posture straightened, arms behind her back, with boots clicking as if expecting the commander himself…

… That is, she immediately identified that the skin on the man’s arm was not that of the commander. Soon enough, the irresistibly exotic man fully stepped into the meeting room, greeting the Captain Tethras and inquiring for Commander von Brandt.

Ursula’s stiff posture stiffened further as he complemented her, and behind her back, her fingers rubbed together nervously. Judging by his gaze, she noted that he displayed personal interest in her.

Remain professional. Don’t get flustered.

She heard his name, squinted, then heard his identification, and stopped squinting. He was the Commander Redwing, who leads the western forces in the Gerudo Desert.

It was worth noting that the young dame hadn’t seen any of the other Commanders before.

He’s… unexpectedly free-spirited... but he deserves my respect for his position.

The dame clanked a gauntlet-clad fist against her chest in an apologetic salute.

“Forgive me for not realizing earlier, Commander Redwing. I would given your due courtesy sooner.”

Despite the apology, her voice was fiendishly dry, with a tone as monotonous as an old, shriveled Pictograph. To that end, it sounded distinctly like sarcasm.

One face joining the group was one that many who were involved with the military affairs of Hyrule likely would recognize... A muscular young man with a scruffy face and distinctive head of curly orange hair and piercing blue eyes... A rather rugged looking man, which belied who he truly was. He was also going to be apart of this mission, though in more 'official' terms, they would be referring to him as a 'diplomat'... He was the younger brother of the current King... Prince Jonathan El Hyrule, a ripe young man of 26 who was an incredible militaristic might and has done his own brand of service for many years himself. Currently expecting his first child himself in due time... He was wearing a distinct suit of light armor with a hooded cloak. A high quality bow and quiver of arrows was strapped to his back, hidden daggers were on his person, and a sword with a strange curved blade was in a sheath at his side. He was 100% ready for... Whatever was to occur. He always came prepared for almost every situation...

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