DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT, NOR HAVE I EVER CLAIMED TO, OWN THE LEGEND OF ZELDA SERIES, MUCH TO MY DISMAY.

Hey, everyone. First off, thanks for reading this. I hope it turns out alright, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Second, this is kind of a spinoff epilogue to Twilight Princess. Ninety percent of this is non-canon, so please review. Thanks.

Link

A flash of light, the ringing of steel against hard leather, searing pain racing up his right arm as the cut oozed more blood by the second. He could barely bring his sword up to block the next blow. The man clothed in shadow approached slowly, raising his sword to finish the fight. His laugh, deep and gravelly, pierced the air. His sword was up and raced downward-

Link shot up with a yell. Before he realized what was happening, his knife was drawn and raised. He felt Zelda moving next to him, but still jumped when she touched his arm.

"Link," she said, "sweetie are you alright?" She looked scared. Link saw the terror in her eyes and could only imagine what she was thinking. That he might attack her. He hated it when she looked like that. Especially when it was directed towards him.

"Yeah," he said. "I'm fine now."

"Are you sure? What was it?"

"Just a nightmare," he responded. "Don't worry about it." He smiled to show her that he was alright. Zelda, her worrying put aside for now, lied back down and eventually fell asleep.

Link, however, couldn't get rid of the mental image that was seared into his mind's eye. The man cloaked in darkness with a blade of pure starlight. Link was the greatest warrior in Hyrule, but in his dream this man bested him without so much as breaking a sweat.

Link got out of bed, careful not to disturb his wife again, and wandered the castle in which they resided. He couldn't help but remember his first time seeing the castle.

He was riding Epona. After spending days in the dense forest that was Faron Woods, Link was eager to finally leave the southern provinces. His home overrun with monsters, he was only able to escape into the woods because of Epona. As far as he knew, no one else survived.

Epona rounded the last bend, pulling them both out of the thick trees and exposing them to full sunlight- the first of such they'd seen in days. Before them lay Hyrule Field, or at least a portion of it. Link could see that it branched off to the east and west, but his view was drawn heavily to the grand structure before him.

Hyrule Castle. A magnificent structure composed mostly of large white walls and grand purple spires. A large town had grown at the base of the castle. Link was astounded by the shear size and beauty of it all, and even Epona took a second to pause and admire it. Then she started down the hill upon which they were and onto Hyrule Field.

Link continued to wander the castle. By now he had reached the kitchen area and had filled a cup with water to help soothe his nerves. He realized that it had been almost a week since he'd last seen Epona in the stables.

I'm too awake to go back to bed, he reasoned. May as well go see her.

The castle stables were on the other side of the grounds. The cool, crisp night air helped Link to forget his nightmare. By the time he reached the stables, Link had all but forgotten the dream. He went inside the stables.

As always, the first thing he noticed was the smell: fresh straw and oats. No matter how pampered he was in the castle, Link always loved that smell. It reminded him of home. Before the attacks began. No, he thought, don't think about it.

Epona's stall was at the end of the stable. Link made his way down, whistling her song all the while. By the time he got to her stall, Epona was awake and ready to go. She huffed when he got close.

"Hey girl," Link said. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" He stroked her muzzle affectionately.

"Yes it has, Link," another voice said quietly. A low, smooth voice, with a hint of a mischievous attitude. A voice Link hadn't heard in over seven years.

He turned suddenly, coming face-to-face with Midna, the Twilight Princess herself.

She looked exactly as Link remembered her. Her pale blue skin, contrasted sharply by her bright orange hair- braided and tied below her chin- and deep red eyes. Her cloak and skirt (if it could be called that, as incomplete as it was) flowed freely from her shoulders and waist, respectively. Her chest was covered in a dark black marking of some kind that matched her cloak, always making Link wonder if the mark was actually part of it or if she were naked. Her crimson eyes still held a glint that would make Link nervous every time he saw it.

Midna was leaning against a post along the outer edge of the stable. At this time of night, Link could barely make out her form, but her eyes shone brightly in the dark. Epona nudged Link gently from behind, pushing him closer toward Midna. She giggled at the sight.

"I'm glad Epona's looking well," she said. "She's getting up there in age, isn't she?"

Epona huffed again, sounding slightly annoyed. Link was still getting over the shock of seeing Midna, and was not prepared for the question.

"Ah-bah-yeh-ye-yeah," he stammered. "Yeah, she is." He looked at Epona apologetically before turning back to Midna. "Midna," he began, "What are you doing here?"

"She's here," said another voice- one Link knew all too well- "because I asked her to be here."

Link spun around to find Zelda walking along the stalls, still in her nightgown, with a mixed look on her face. Link, quite confused, looked back and forth between the two princesses. He looked at Epona, who seemed to shrug, as if saying What do I know? I'm just the horse, before moving back into her stall and leaving Link to deal with them in his own.

So there we have it. Hope you enjoyed it. please review (guys I cannot stress this enough, PLEASE REVIEW), and if you have any questions you would like to ask privately, please don't hesitate to PM me. I'll get back to you as soon as physically possible. BT-dubs, thanks for the help Epona. Way to leave Link hanging. ;)