Wilting Heart: Seedlings • Lore Post (III) • Father of the Hero
"Seedlings" is the first portion of the Hero of Heart's storyline, referring to everything before the grand scale adventure heroes tend to be known for... look below to read some of it!
Link's father, named Arn, is quite fit for someone who mostly spends his time watering tomato plants and daisies. Given that he also manages pulling their cart, carrying deliveries, and the like, he has no problem staying in shape. With all the work he does, Arn is basically Link's hero! Of course, Link has gotten to the age where he can help, too. Any chance to earn a new task is a victory in his book.
So, when he sees his father cooking lunch, the young boy's first instinct is to dart over and see if it is something he can assist with. The contents of his father's cooking pot over the fireplace include a variety of veggies mixed in with potatoes. Unfortunately, it already seems close to complete. This is admittedly a little disappointing, but there's no reason not to ask anyway, "Do you need any help, Papa?" "Ah!" Arn, having been primarily focused on his cooking, has barely noticed Link's approach. He flinches in surprise at the boy's suddenly close voice, turning his head to look down at him. "Link— Well, the food's just about done. I won't need any help here, you're alright." He was going to leave it at that, but, noting his son's expression, he speaks again after a pause, "...Buuut I suppose I'll be needed at the castle again today. Doing a sort of… 'check-up' on the courtyard, I guess you could call it. How's about you come with me today? I could always use an extra set o' hands." Unsurprisingly, Link's face lights up. "You'll let me come to the castle?" "If you promise not to play around while we're there. Those gardens are important to the King, you know. It's an honor that he even lets me go near them." Arn scoops some of the cooked potatoes and veggies out of the pot and into a bowl now. He moves on to another bowl after setting the first aside to cool off. "I won't play around! This is.. important business! No playing around, I promise!" Link stands up straighter to prove how professional he is. He's so professional, there's no reason not to let him tag along. "Hmm… you've convinced me." His father nods to himself. "I'll be heading there this afternoon, so be sure to eat plenty before we're off." Arn passes him a bowl of slightly-cooled food.
The Lone Father
Arn raised Link completely alone. He at first had some difficulty, though it became much easier for him once he realized how similar a young life was to a fragile sprout. It certainly helped that Link was able to bounce back anytime an incident were to occur, of course. (And, being Link, he got into a LOT of incidents...)
A Strong Character
Many people wrongfully assume a stern nature of Arn. He is a very tall Hylian, about the height of Rhoam in Breath of the Wild, and muscular on top of that. But beneath his tough and burly exterior, Arn has a very steady head and is a very careful man.
He is an impressive role model. He keeps his business small so he can be sure every part of it is manageable while keeping at its best quality (still shouldering a lot himself). Arn is gentle with most things but firm when he needs to be, and he is surprisingly patient with Link's antics.
A lot of other folks in town envy him, but with that envy also comes a lot of pity: pity that Arn personally finds wasted.
The Garden's Keeper
Arn and Link's house doubled as a shop— especially the exterior. Around Hyrule Town, Arn would make deliveries via cart for both flowers and garden decorations. He was in very high demand thanks to his craftsmanship and artistic eye. Eventually, business expanded to welcome other workers (such as Magda from BotW/TotK, aka Flowerblight Ganon).
After the Queen of Hyrule's passing, the expansive castle gardens were left without someone to serve as the groundskeeper as she once did. The rest of the castle staff was too grief-stricken to volunteer themselves, so the king reached out to Arn and offered him the job. Although Arn was hesitant, he accepted it in sympathy— the gardens were the last thing the King had left of his departed wife, after all. He now works under the head keeper of the castle overall, Impa, alongside other attendants.
He thinks that, perhaps, there could be more opportunities for his son this way.
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Masterlist
Summary 🌸 Hyrule is a small but flourishing province, united with many other smaller ones to create a larger kingdom. The provinces are said to be the most beautiful place in the world, blooming with life and celebration every night. However, the kingdom falls into a sudden despair when the Queen of Hyrule— beloved by her people— passes from an illness that had affected her for quite some time. A man named Arn is appointed to tend to her most sacred place: the garden she left behind for her daughter, Zelda. Brought in as his apprentice is his son, Link— a ten-year-old boy who takes notice of the princess's grief and, believing it would make him like the heroes of old, makes it his mission to heal the hearts of her and the castle staff in any way he can.