Hey writin a story with an OC because I couldn't find any yaoi pairings that I really liked...lol.

Enjoy! it'll get more interesting later! I pwomise!!

I don't own Zelda!

---------------------------------------------

Epona's dusty white mane brushed against Link's face as he led her to the spring. It had been another easy day at work – delightfully easy, really – compared to what he'd been accustomed to. Herding goats became very simple after fulfilling an ancient legend.

Epona's ears perked at the sound of water and she whinnied, straining forward. Link let her go and she trotted towards the clear shallow pool, dipping her head to drink. Brushing some dark blonde hair from his face, Link smiled. Goddesses only knew that the mare deserved it…watching her, it seemed as though she were at peace, as if Epona had forgotten everything already. He envied beasts, sometimes, but no longer had the power to become one, since the strange twilight had (hopefully) left Hyrule forever.

The hero stood on the banks of the Ordon spring, a breeze settling around his feet as he

thought.

"Liiink!"

Arubtly, he turned around, blue eyes searching. Epona, too, raised her head, ears straight up. She snorted and flicked her tail, nostrils flaring.

"Ilia?" Link called, walking past the gate and looking over the corner. What he saw there made him pause momentarily – there was Ilia, her eyes full of adoration, leading behind her a golden horse with a white mane.

"Oh," Link said.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Illia asked as Link approached. The girl gave him a charming smile before turning towards the golden horse. It was indeed a pretty animal; well-formed, with an intelligent look in its eye, and a curling white mane. At least that was what both of them saw in the horse. Right now, anyone who didn't know horses would call it a nag or something of the like – it looked tired and dusty, like it had traveled a long way. On its knee was an old red wound.

"Where'd you find her?" The horse didn't seem to care as Link gently brushed against the horse's bridle, black and girded with gold. Expensive, he thought, brows knitting briefly. "Did she have a rider?"

"No. None that I could see. I was busy gathering some plants, you know, for Rusl's knee…I turned around, and there she was. Doesn't she look so tired?" Ilia asked as she stroked the horse's forlock. "Look – her knee's been cut."

"Yeah," he replied, nodding. "Here: why don't you fix her up, and I'll look for her rider. Fado might have something for her. I'll go look if she had a rider, alright? Just to make sure."

Ilia tilted her head to one side, a tiny smile on her face. "Alright. But don't try anything out of your league."

Link laughed. Just a little joke.

The two hugged briefly before Link whistled for Epona, and mounted.

They walked at an easy pace through the woods. Even if Ilia didn't quite realize it, he knew and had known that the horse had to have a rider, and a recent one at that; the saddlebag rations were not completely gone yet, and the horse had been breathing hard as if it had just gotten through a hard gallop. Horses, he knew, did not generally tire themselves out over nothing. There was a chance it might have been spooked by a monster, but monsters were hard to come by these days…and even if it had, the spooked horse might have just thrown the obviously unprepared rider off.

Link noticed that the trees cast long shadows on the ground. It was getting late, and he knew that Ilia would start to worry if he wasn't back by nightfall. She would probably try to make some dinner for him, which Link appreciated – but he really couldn't see such an independent girl like her making food for anyone. Still, he remembered her smile when

she first presented him with a meal, and, well, if it made her happy…

But he frowned. He wasn't entirely sure if he…

Epona shuddered underneath him and her ears stood up. He stroked her mane and pulled back on the reins, and the heavy mare stopped. "Smell something, girl?"

Link looked up and knew that he'd found what he was looking for.

Immediately, the Hylian swung off Epona's back and landed on the ground, making his way cautiously to the figure on the ground.

It was a young man. He was laying on his stomach, his ams tucked underneath his chin as if he was just taking a casual nap, but Link could see from here that he was hurt – there was a dark, ugly bruise near his temple, and at the side of his white, dusty cloak was a

dark red-brown stain. Kneeling beside the boy, he carefully turned him over.

Link's eyes widened as he gazed at the unconscious boy. His skin was fair, and his face was perfectly heart-shaped, yet retained a slightly soft, round look. The dark eyelashes of his closed eyelids contrasted against his pale cheeks. Long hair the color of autumn – brown and red and gold – framed the boy's face, and underneath was a small golden circlet.

Link noticed that his white clothes, though they had seen better days, were fairly soft and looked expensive, and that his ears were pierced with silver all the way towards the tips.

But he had no time to dwell on it as the boy's eyes began to open.

They were honey-yellow, amber-colored, and dazed.

Link gently let go of his shoulders as the other boy tried to prop himself up. His hands went up to his temples and he let out a soft groan, then looked blearily into Link's eyes.

"Uh?" he said quietly and not very articulately.

"Hey," the former hero said, his fingers reaching out to touch the same spot the other boy had done, gently probing. The brown-haired boy flinched slightly, but stayed still enough. "Are you alright?"

He shook his head and looked down. "Yes, I…" But when he tried to stand he started and quickly gave up, squeezing his eyes in pain. "Ah…my leg…"

The blonde gave it a glance, chewing on his bottom lip thoughtfully. "Come on. I'll get you home, and I'll see what I can do for you there. Just hang on, this might hurt a bit - "

Link made to help him up when the other boy grabbed his arm to stop him. "No," he said, almost desperately – but his cheeks turned pink when Link stared at him, startled. "It's just…don't want to impose…"

Link laughed, pulling the brown-haired boy's arm around his shoulders to help him stand. "Don't worry. I don't think helping someone who's injured and can't even think straight is imposing. Really," he added, "it's not a problem – you'll be fine in no time at all."

He helped him up and boosted him onto Epona, careful to go slow, aware of his limp. "Got it?" Link asked, and waited for the boy's hesitant, shy nod before taking a hold of Epona's bridle.

A thought seemed to strike the brown-haired boy's face. "Have you seen my horse? She's yellow, with a - "

"It's fine. My friend is taking care of her as we speak…we found her not too long ago."

The boy looked relieved, and slumped a little on the saddle.

Link watched him a bit as he led Epona back towards Ordon. "What's your name?" he asked.

A pause. "Lecil."

Link nodded and watched as Lecil's fingers tightened in Epona's mane, a soft and sympathetic smile on the hero's fair face.