Ride Forever
Disclaimer: I don't own anything pertaining to Zelda, not even the games. The song is Ride Forever by Paul Gross.
I was born up north of Great Slave, 1898
On a road near All My Life
On a ranch near Devil's Gate
And I've seen this world around me
Bendin', flippin' changing
Feels like rain, that's a thundercloud
The old mare stopped by an ancient forest, long since overgrown and the houses disappeared into the trees. Her rider, an old man with tan, weathered features retaining little of the handsomeness that had graced his face in his youth. Wrinkles were visible across his faces, laugh lines and smaller, harder to notice frown lines. Long hair, shining silver in the late afternoon sun, was pulled back into a low ponytail. His eyes seemed too young for his face, piercing cobalt blue and holding an inner fire.
He got off the mare and gently patted her faded, copper fur. "Let's go home, Epona."
He led her through the dense underbrush that was once gardens and paths. There was the old river, dried up in some parts and deeper in others. The wooden planks of the docks and bridge were rotted and worn. He let Epona roam, knowing she wouldn't go far. They'd been together far too long for that. He stepped carefully on the bridge, testing his weight. Despite being old, he was muscled and tough.
The wood fell away underneath his feet and he stepped back, seeing wild cats' eyes regarding him thoughtfully. He headed up the hill to where the old ranch was, finding it desolate, all the goats having left a long time ago. He regarded it fondly, before turning away and hoisting himself atop Epona once more before riding away from the ancient village of Ordon.
I've been called a coward,
But I've seen two World Wars
And I lost my son Virgil to glory and rewards
And my Lucy died last summer
You ask me if I cried,
Hell, I'll show you tears
They're all over this ground
They're falling from these blue Alberta skies
He stared at the graves, both in the Royal Burial Grounds, which he found rather ironic. He wasn't considered related to anything pertaining to the Royal Family, at least…not anymore, yet his children were buried in these sacred places. His eyes traveled to his wife's grave, which was clean and clear of any vines, the same as their children's'. He looked up as drops fell from the sky, growing steadily faster and harder, but found his own eyes dry and weary. The tears had been used up years ago during the wars and the fighting and the sheer terror of the temples and the grief of his family's deaths.
We're gonna ride forever
Can't keep a horseman in a cage
Should the angels call, well its only then
When I pull in the reins
Epona and him traveled through time-worn paths that many had forgotten. They rarely saw other people, most were content to stay at home. His eyes followed the cave walls to the land of the Zoras, who welcomed him easily enough, though not many could remember him. He spoke with the old King, sitting with their feet in the river, reminiscing.
Now they tell me I'm an old man,
They tell me I am blind
They took my driver's license
This house ain't far behind
I said jump back all you big suits
You got something wrong, 'cause I ain't gone
No, I ain't gone
He still had a house, in the Castle Town, but he'd long ago given up on staying there. The town was full of memories and nightmares that he didn't want to keep seeing while trying to live in the present. Time had always been a strange thing for him. They took away the small ranch that Ilia had given him upon her death, believing him incapable off taking care of it. He had become angry for the first time in a long while, the sapphire eyes flashing, the fire revived. They had burned the ranch.
I am still breathing and I still have my pride
And l have my memories, your life it never dies
Like the wind that blows in the thunder,
Like the stallion on the fly
I got it all and I'm standing tall
Underneath these blue Alberta skies
Every day, when twilight came, he would sit by the Twilight Mirror Shards, and just talk. Many thought him insane, for who would go into the crumbling ruins simply to talk to a broken mirror? It didn't bother him. He simply sat and told the mirror about everything-the loneliness, how much he missed her. Was she okay? How was the realm, if they'd patched everything up? Had they forgiven him for breaking those vases?
His faithful hawk, the once-tawny wings now gilded with silver. He would fly for a while, before joining his master, who still had some wolfish characteristics. The way he would stare at something, or the way he didn't like anyone touching his head. He liked his meat fresh and could often be seen lying on the old logs of Lake Hylia, fishing with no rod.
We're gonna ride forever
Can't keep a horseman in a cage
Should the angels call, well its only then
When I pull in the reins
The mountain had yet to change, no longer randomly exploding. Zoras were often seen in the hot springs that he frequented so high up the mountains. He could have used the Kakariko Hotel's hot springs, but it felt strange without the kids and the familiar faces.
He would even do a sumo match every now and then, and he was still uncontested champion, although the Iron Boots lay dusty in a corner, not having been used in over a decade.
So I say to all you old men,
Don't let yourselves get broke
If you think the world's gone crazy
And it's scratching at your throat
Its time to dust off that old saddle,
Get it one a horse, kick up your spurs
We're gonna run like stink
We're gonna tear across these blue Alberta skies
The Royal Guard, whenever they saw him, thought they could catch him, trying to bring him back for "fraternizing with the enemies and refusing to pay taxes." They had yet to catch him in sixty years, ever since he turned thirty-four. He was still cunning(like a fox, some would say. And the few times he had been in the conversation, he would shake his head and reply, "No, like a wolf.") and he still had that same old strength. Every time, he would take Epona and she would carry him through secret paths and supposedly haunted roads that were simply the wind through the canyons and a few statues with the Rod of Dominance, disappearing into the shadows, crimson eyes watching as timelessly as always.
We're gonna ride forever
Can't keep a horseman in a cage
Should the angels call, well its only then
When I pull in the reins