Olivia brushed her wet nose across my hand sniffing for oats. I rubbed her neck softly, her white mane flowing gently in the breeze. Link laughed at me. Of course one boy in the village was named after the hero. His parents insisted they just liked the name but we all knew better. " Even your mother doesn't have that good of a connection with a single horse Belladonna. I wish I was as good at archery and horseback riding as you are." He smiled at me as he ran a hand through his golden hair.

I chuckled playing with the skirt of my dress. "I'm honored you chose me to come along with you to castle town. How ever did you convince my mother to let me come?"

Link smiled and pushed me out of the way playfully so he could stroke Olivia's raven black coat. "You're my best friend Belladonna, and the best person with horses. Why wouldn't I take you along? Could you imagine Lily?"

I giggled at him as he threw his hands into the air, "Oh I'll bet we'll see the hero of time. I bet he looks just like you. Are you adopted? Are you sure?" Link growled tossing his hair away from his face. "The nerve of people, my parents have been happily together for years before I was born, but because somehow I bear resemblance to someone they've never met…"

"Don't forget you share the same name." I pointed out flicking my hair behind my ear. Link looked at me narrowly.

"Don't make me leave you here. I'll do it, I'll go off with just with Kagero." Link said crossing his arms. "I can't believe my father is letting me do this. I suppose he thinks we're safe right now. But I don't know, I just feel a little uneasy about all this." He gently petted Olivia's side.

I nodded my head turning to look at the dark wood sides of the stable. I wasn't the only one feeling uneasy. The horses had been spooked for weeks. Olivia had almost thrown me off the day before when we were walking through the forest to the hot spring.

Link smiled at me, "Let me go tell my parents goodbye and then we'll set up. I'll meet you at the exit to the village near your house. Okay? Good then we can say goodbye to your mom." With that Link set off going to see his parents. I led Oliva out of the stable, walking slowly out towards my house. I could see my mother standing on the porch from here. Her red hair flowing gently in the wind.

She had been nervous about letting me go. No matter how much I told her that no one would recognize me, She still got nervous about me leaving the village. I had been almost eleven years old when I was first allowed into the forest without her. She took care of the horses at the ranch in exchange for shelter and food for us. The owner of the ranch, Mido, was kind enough as people go. At first he had let my mother stay out of pity for the supposedly widowed women. But now he was desperate for the both of us to stay. I had my mother's voice and her gift with horses.

My mother smiled gently at me as she approached. She met me at the bottom of the porch and hugged me. "Mother please, I'm only going to be gone for at most two weeks. Probably faster if I can keep Link on track."

She nodded her head still holding her arms around me. "I know Bella, I know. But I still worry about you. All it would take is one small slip up and then your gone too." She laid her head down on my shoulder, "But you're growing up. And I have to let go sometimes."

We stayed like that till we heard Link coming on Kagero. Kagero was a pretty horse with a white main and light reddish brown fur. She had been the foal of my mother's horse. Unable to take care of it and Mido wouldn't let us keep it with his. She gave it to him. My mother couldn't have been more pleased with that choice. Kagero and Link were the perfect match, just like Olivia and I.

My mother stepped away from me, "Well you'd better be off. Promise me you'll be safe?" I nodded my head. I mounted Oliva and Link moved in front of me to lead the way. My mother watched us for a few seconds before calling out. "Have fun you two. Make sure you're back in time and stay safe!" Link turned back and waved at her.

We stayed pretty silent until we were deep into the forest. That was when Link began to speak, "It's not mine to ask and if you don't want to tell me that's fine. But what happened with your mother?"

I shook my head, if only I could tell him, but he would surely turn away from me. I watched Olivia's head bob up and down as she moved forward. "I'm sorry, I don't know. She refuses to speak about anything before we arrived here."

We continued in silence for a few minutes before Link said, "I'm sorry for mentioning it. It's obviously a sore spot." I just nodded in response.

We reached Beetle's house just half an hour later. Both Link and I smiled when we saw the man sitting before the fire in front of the wooden shed like building he called a home. "Good day Beetle! How have you been?" Link called out happily.

Beetle looked up surprised, "Oh hello Belle, Hello Link." A wave of his hand set the birds nesting in his hair flying away. A man was standing a little ways away from him, holding onto the reins of a white horse. "This man is here to check and make sure you two were coming. Clark, right?"

He wore thick clothes with the mark of the hylian knights on the right breast. His voice was deep and strong, "Yes, good now that you're here…" He made eye contact with me and stopped suddenly. Link cocked his head in confusion.

Clark unsheathed his sword and stepped forward towards me. Link instantly started pulling Kagero in front of me, "What are you doing?!" Link was about to pull his own sword out when I heard the leaves rustle wildly behind me as something fled.

Clark lowered his sword, "I'm sorry if I panicked you. Whatever that was it was reaching up towards your neck. It kind of looked like a person but it was completely black and coming out of the shadows." My hand instantly flew to the back of my neck. I hadn't felt a thing.

"Oh, thank you." I stuttered out moving to hold the pendant around my neck. My mother had given me the necklace when I turned five, until then she had worn it every day. Clark waved his hand, "I thought you were coming towards me. You wouldn't be there first person to panic because of my eyes."

Clark laughed a deep laugh and Beetle piped in, "Nothing wrong with a little Sheikah blood is there Belle." I blinked at him. "Oh come on Belle. You can't hide that from me, your connection to nature gives it away. Your father must have been a sheikah."

I shrugged then Link said, "We should be going. If we want time to actually look around castle town." We waved goodbye to Beetle and Clark. Then we set out for castle town knowing the further we got before night the better.