Thunder rumbled outside, the soft patter of rain tapping on the roof. Flashes at the blink of an eye turned to loud roars like a beast waking from his slumber. Sheets were tossed aside and warm feet touched the cold floor reminding the hero he should invest in slippers.

The wood creaked as he stood, a hero well known for his courage. But what good is courage with nothing to test it with?

He spent many sleepless nights aching for adventure, for a journey, new foes, new adventures, but sadly, he was let down.

Another rumble and he could see it.

He was standing in the throne room of Her Highness, Princess Zelda. The beast who addressed himself as Ganondorf roared and charged, the gem on his forehead glowing as his power pushed him forward faster and faster until-

Crash!

Link jumped put of his skin suddenly drawn away from his memory. He drew his attention to the broken bottle dripping with milk. How on Earth did that happen?

Lighting the lantern, he cast his gaze downward to see a small trail of milk leading to under the table where the damned cat sat, licking her leg clean.

"What are you doing here?" Link reached under and pulled the cat out. He never really did like cats...

The cat meowed with an arrogant tone. Beth's cat always seemed to have an attitude towards him, the exception when she helped him scare Beth's father, Hanch. But since his return as a human, this cat has had an attitude.

"Out you go." And with that, the cat was tossed outside into the pouring rain.

Grabbing his lantern, Link traveled back to his bed spending an hour or so tossing and turning. His mind turned to more memories. Ones with battles and a selfish imp.

"Link... I... "

His breathing hitched. Selfish indeed, but a princess with worry and desire in her eyes.

"See you later..."

A princess who wanted to save her people, Midna, the one born in the dark and shown the light. The one who fought along with him, the one willing to die for what she believed. She was a complex creature, her attitude certainly made her seem careless and cruel, but Link knew. He heard her when she thought he was asleep. Her silent cries of pain were etched into his memory and he would never forget how she cried for her people's suffering.

"One cannot exist without the other."

He became restless. In defeat he stood and grabbed some fruit. He started thinking. It could be quite possible that Princess Zelda knew of a way to get back to the Twilight Realm. There was so many things he wanted to ask Princess Midna.

One of those questions being, 'why'?

He spent the early morning contemplating on going to Hyrule. When he could hear the kids outside, he figured it was around eight the morning. Epona needed brushing and needed to be taken out and given exercise. No doubt Ilia was on her way to ensure the proper care of that horse.

Sometimes he wondered why she didn't just take the horse as her own, she cared for, (more like spoiled) Epona a lot more than Link did, not that he never cared for his horse, he just wasn't out there every five minutes checking on her.

As the hero climbed down the ladder, Talo nearly ran over Beth to greet Link first.

"Hey Link! Rusl taught me some new moves wanna see?!"

Link chuckled and ruffled the taller boys hair. "Not right now. I promised I would help Fado with the goats."

"Ooh but you're a hero!" Beth pushed Talo aside.

"Yeah! You're practically royalty!" Talo added shoving back.

"So why do you still herd the goats?" The girl questioned.

"Because, I can't just stay inside all the time." Link smiled. "I might get crazier than I already am. "

"So why don't you go be the royal guard? That's adventurous!" Talo pretended to be a guard pretending to defend Beth from imaginary enemies.

"Yeah! You'd do great! And you'd get to see the princess every day! She's so beautiful!" Beth sighed with a dreamy look on her face. "I wish I was a princess."

Talo grinned. "You are! You're the princess of being annoying!" Beth shoved Talo again with a small glare.

"So why didn't you take the job?"

Link thought back. A few days after they came back to Ordon, Zelda visited with a request for Link to become the captain of her soldiers, he politely declined the offer and immediately began to regret the decision ever since.

"I really need to go guys. If im late again, I'll have to listen to Ilia remind me of my duties. " He walked into town not giving them the chance to stop him. In all honesty, he couldn't answer that question. He really didn't know why he said 'no' or even why he herded the goats still.

It was a beautiful day outside. The sun had risen in the sky, the grass was still wet from rain, and it smelled so fresh and peaceful outside. He got to the stables and immediately heard Epona as if she was asking what took so long. He smiled and stroked her soft hair noting just how much dirt and dust was kicked up in it.

"Sorry, girl." He said softly his hand petting her across her nose. "I had another bad night again."

Epona seemed to nod her head closer to his in a comforting way, like she was cuddling almost. Epona had always been an affectionate horse, Link always talked to her as if she was his only true friend. He told her things he would never tell Rusl or Ilia or even Zelda. And he almost had to report everything to Zelda.

Stepping in, he brushed Epona and cleaned her as best as he could. He then saddled her up and stepped up taking his place on her back.

Once out of the stables, Epona dashed. She ran around the field and Link closed his eyes just happy to feel the breeze once more.

Then another scent drifted to his nose. The scent of burning and decay. The musk of a man who brought death in his shadow.

He was riding in the fields of Hyrule chasing that man. One wrong move and the princess and him would die. He could feel excitement building in his chest.

"Hyah!" Epona moved faster and faster and faster and Link could almost see Ganondorf standing there his arms crossed with a slightly pissed off expression.

He pulled back on the reins, the person standing there was Ilia and she didn't look impressed.

"What are you doing?" She asked, her attention drawn to Epona who was panting softly.

"I was... Riding my horse." Link said, the smell of decay and death fading back to grass and hay.

"Well she doesn't need to be pushed to run that fast! Not in this enclosed space! You could hurt her!"

Some things never changed. Ilia was still the ranting hothead but she still was his friend.

"I know I know. I got carried away and I'm sorry." He pet Epona softly. "Sorry girl."

The rest of the day seemed to drag on from that point. The goats were out lounging around and Link laid in the fields watching the clouds.

"You had a night again didn't you?" Ilia say next to him offering him a sandwich with cheese and cucco meat.

"Yeah... I just can't stop thinking about everything. Ganondorf, the fighting, the challenges, the princesses." He sighed and shook his head. But it's all behind me now I guess.

"Why don't you travel with Rusl today? He's going to Telma's soon. I head Colin mention it in the stables earlier. I'd cover you here if needed."

Link smiled softly. It might do him some good. It had been almost a year since he ventured outside Ordon. "Do you mind of I leave now then? There's a couple things I have to do first."

"No. Go ahead."

"Thanks Ilia." He stood and got on Epona.

"Just remember, of she comes back with any scars or new scratches, I'll have no choice but to kick your butt." The two smiled at each other and Link was off again.

He sank to his knees on the dusty ground. There was something exciting about this.

The lantern by his side in his basement, he sat in front of a dusty old chest. His fingers lifted the lid and he pulled put the green tunic he once wore as the hero. The material seemed to glow slightly as memories flooded him.

Adventure awaited him. He didn't know where or how, but he knew that he was ready.