Seven Years Later
"NO!"
I sat bolt upright in bed, screaming. I looked around the room wildly, breathing heavily.
I groaned and lay back down. "Another nightmare," I grumbled. I rolled over onto my side and looked out the window.
It was bright.
What time is it? I wondered. I hadn't yet heard the cucoo's call.
I leapt out of bed and ran to the window. My cucoo, Cojiro, was still asleep on his perch.
Why is it so bright?
I checked the time on the clock tower in the distance.
10:05.
"Shit!"
A few days before, I was invited to be the ring bearer at Malon's wedding, which took place two and a half hours away. The problem? The wedding starts at eleven.
I scrambled to get ready. "I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!" I yelled.
Three minutes later, I was out the door.
"Thanks for nothing!" I yelled at Cojiro as I passed, who squawked and fell off his post.
I quickly saddled Epona and leaped on.
"Come on, girl. We've got to set a new record today," I told her, stroking her mane. "Think we can do it?"
She nickered and took off so fast, I nearly fell off.
Brooks, trees, low hanging branches, Epona would not stop for any of them. She was a very fast horse. Whenever I mentioned needing to get somewhere quickly, she would get me there in half the time.
But it still wouldn't be enough.
"Faster, Epona!" I shouted over the wind. "We're going to be late!"
There was nothing that Epona hated more than not being good enough for me, so she poured on the speed.
When we got to the ranch, it was 10:59. We made it.
I looked down and realized that I had forgotten to wear my nice tunic.
"Ugh!" I complained. "This day could not get any worse, could it, Epona?"
"Link!" said a familiar voice.
"I was wrong," I muttered, and spun around to see the one person I was hoping to avoid. The one, the only, the beautiful, Princess Ruto.