The Snow Maiden

Dane's Skeleton

In a dusty stable off the side of a humble stone cottage, a father and son were preparing for war.

"Dad, this stuff is like skin constipation, I can't believe I can still move!"

"Stop being such a pansy, I'm not going to let you weasel out of this--it's a great honor! And with your skills-"

"But I don't want to fight!"

The Hyrulian Knight gave a huff of frustration. The fifteen-year-old boy he was trying to squeeze into chain mail was red-faced and glowering at him through a mess of dark brown hair.

"Now son, we both know you're the best around when it comes to swordsmanship and Hyrule needs every man she can get."

"Screw Hyrule, this is stupid, I'm going to suffocate!"

The man scowled and whacked his son across the head. "Shut it. I don't have time for your attitude."

After a few more minutes of yelling and cursing on both ends, the knight finally got his sinewy son draped and buckled in the chainmail with a sword at his side. Both were out of breath and angry in time for the knight's wife and daughter to walk in. The sister, a few years older than the boy, giggled.

"Nice hair."

"Shuddup, Samantha." said the youth.

His mother looked from him to his father and back again, her lip swollen with gnawing. Lines creased her sad, hazel eyes.

"Roan, are you sure he's old enough for this?"

"Hush, I already told you, he'll be fine. The boy is better than me."

"But that doesn't mean he can..." she bit her lip once more.

"He'll be fine," repeated Sir Roan, but his frown betrayed otherwise.

Samantha had the tact to not say anything on noticing this, but a small head poked through the doorway with a goopy smile and mud-stained skirts.

"Don't die, Dane."

The boy's red face paled dramatically. "Shuddup, Corral!"

"Don't talk to your younger sister like that." snapped his father.

"So I can talk to Samantha like that?"

"You don't talk to any lady like that!"

"Why? 'Cause that's how knights do it?"

The knight threw his hands in the air. "That's it!" he gestured wildly to his wife. "You handle him! He's your son, I am through with his arrogance and ingratitude-"

"You're the one who won't listen to me!" Dane shouted. "I-don't-want-to-be-a-knight!"

"Fine! Then at least go outside and help the others protect our village!"

"No!"

His father swelled, if possible, even more, and his mother and sisters retreated back down the doorway a bit.

The knight jabbed a finger at his son. "Are you being a coward?"

Dane flinched. That stung. That stung a lot.

His mother raised a tentative hand. "Roan, please-"

But Dane broke in with a quivering voice, "I've already told you, Dad. We can't beat Ganondorf. He wiped out the entire active Hyrulian army that was stationed at the castle, not to mention he's a sorcerer. Do you know how to kill a sorcerer?"

"Like any other man-sword plus flesh."

Dane rolled his eyes. "Wow, that gives me so much confidence."