The Origin of a Champion

Chapter 6- With Fame Comes Jealousy

Alvar had just finished training with his soldiers and was starting his walk to the stables so he could ride Shadow home. He was always cautious because if anyone ever messed with him or pushed him around, it was at this time of the day. He approached the stalls and saw Shadow's head sticking over his wooden stall door. The stalls were looking rather dark due to the lack of all the lanterns being lighted. He grabbed his saddle off the rack and felt his sore arms ache as he lifted the heavy saddle onto the tall horse's back. He continued to bridle Shadow, and when he finished preparing the horse for the ride home, he decided to check Milkshake's stall. If she was gone, then he knew Zarya was probably home already, but if Milkshake was still there, he would wait for Zarya and ride home with her. He walked over to Milshake's stall and peeked through the door. It was completely empty.

"Huh, she must have gone home already," he remarked to himself, "Probably giving Link his schooling for the day, or making dinner."

 He stretched his sore arms and legs, for he could feel them beginning to cramp up a bit. 

"Training really takes a toll on me," he sighed to himself.

"Who would've guessed that Captain Alvar talks to himself?"

Alvar spun around in surprise, but it was too late. He staggered backward due to the punch that landed right on the left side of his face. He fell right into an apple barrel and felt the wood splinters pierce his lower legs. He groaned and jumped up despite his pain. He got in a defensive position and stared back at the three soldiers standing in front of him. It was too dark to see who they were. And whoever they were, they were laughing at him.

"Who the hell are you?!" Alvar demanded.

The man standing in the middle, who seemed to be the leader of the small group, stepped forward. "Well, we blew most of the lanterns out so you couldn't find that one out," he sneered.

"What do you want from me?"

"Your pain, peasant."

The tall man lunged forward to strike Alvar again, but this time Alvar was prepared and he dodged the blow with ease. He jumped to his attacker's right side and swung at his ribs with his fist, then punched his left jaw with all his might. The assailant didn't see it coming and went sailing against the left stable wall. His two friends, whoever they were, looked at Alvar with fear shining in their eyes. They both turned around and booked it out of the stables.

Alvar smiled and chuckled as he turned around to the leader of the group, who was shaking as he struggled to stand back up.

"You want to try again? Cause I haven't left a dent on the right side of the wall to match the one of the left yet," Alvar challenged. He grabbed his broadsword from his sheath and in one quick movement, it was against the quivering man's neck. The man shook his head quickly.

"Good. Lucky for you, because if those lanterns were lit I would personally ban you from the force of Hyrule. I don't know what rank you carry, or how it was given for that matter. But whatever it might be, and however you got it, a coward such as yourself doesn't deserve it. Now get out of my sight before I change my mind about letting you go so easily."

Alvar glared at the man as he staggered as fast as he could out of the stable. As soon as he left, Alvar sank to the floor. He could hardly walk due to the wood embedded in his legs, and could hardly see through his left eye. He put his hand to his mouth and saw with help from the moonlight filtering through the stable opening that there was blood on it. Despite it all, he knew he had to get home to Zarya, who made for an excellent nurse. Well, being married to Alvar, she had had a lot of practice. He rose and staggered to Shadow.