Winter had arrived in the mountainous edges of the Mandalayan border to the east of Hyrule. With her head bowed against the wind, Madeleine and her bronze stallion, Dandin trekked on to find the cave that was near to shelter in. It would be their only hope of survival on that cold night. The wind swirled the snow around them as Dandin patiently moved ahead. His ears pricked to strange sounds carrying on the winds. He snorted loudly and gained his mistress' attention.
"What is it old boy?" Madeleine murmured while gazing ahead to catch what he was seeing or hearing. She caught sight of a dim light ahead and what sounded like harsh snarls and the whinny of a distressed horse. She barely decided to rush to it when Dandin leaped into a canter towards the sounds. The snow whipped around a man struggling to keep his feet as wolfos after wolfos attacked him. The mare attempted to help him but the wolf like creatures were relentless.
Madeleine had her bow out in an instant and despite cold hands sank an arrow deep into an attacking foe. His dying yelp alerted the pack to her presence but she didn't give them time to regroup. She swiftly unleashed three more arrows into the park, each hitting their mark. Dandin stood patiently as she sighted in two more. The man sank to the snow, his exhaustion and cold took what he had left in strength.
Two more arrows took out another member of the pack as well as the pack leader before the wolfos began to retreat. She watched the wolfos run off intently before turning to the injured man. The mare was still screaming in fury and attempted a charge at them. Dandin reared up to protect Madeleine as she jumped from his back to the ground. She caught a good glimpse of the mare and gasped in astonishment.
"It can't be him!" She thought quickly leaving the horses to a battle of dominance. She reached his side and found it was definitely him. Her hand flew into her medicine pouch where she found her flute. She knew the song for this horse and she hastily played the melody to tame her. Epona's song floated out of the flute onto the wind and reached the ears of the mare. She ground to a fast halt as her ears swerved to pinpoint Madeleine. Dandin stood by uninjured and calm as the song calmed the mare. Epona came to Madeleine and gently blew into her hair.
"Hello girl. Looks like you and your master have found some trouble," she murmured as she stroked her white blaze. "We need to get him warm!" Madeleine dug through his pouches hoping he had what she needed to lift him. The silver gauntlets would help her carry him to the cave that was outlined a few hundred yards from where he had fallen.
She found them and pulled them over her own numb fingers hoping that she wasn't too late. She lifted him as best she could and laid him across Dandin's back and urged both him and the mare across the rest of the distance to the cave entrance. Both horses were nervous but Dandin trusted his mistress and Epona followed where she was taking her master. It was a very well concealed cave and had a unique entrance where it was almost parallel to the rock before opening up to the cavern. It provided optimum shelter but also enough air to light a fire and not be choked to death by the smoke.
The man was chilled to the bone. Madeleine swiftly stripped him of his snow wet clothing and retrieved her pack where all her supplies were. She saw his lips were blue and his breathing shallow. She took a close look at any of the wounds that he had received. There were several long claw marks across his chest and arms that were bleeding. She found her blood powder and gauze and swiftly stitched and gauzed them. She then stuffed him into her big sheep wool sleeping bag. She thanked the goddesses a million times over in a minute for gifting her with magical ability.
Few Hylians outside of the royal line inherited a magical ability. She specialized in fire and was able to produce a fuel-less flame jar that burned hot and long without too much energy drainage. The fire provided instant warmth to the cave and the snow was quickly evaporating off of the horses. She swiftly braved to the cold to gather snow in a pot to boil. She pulled Dandin towards the man and had him lie so that there was warmth at his back.
He was shivering violently. She made a hot tea from the dried herbs and medicines from her pack and forced it down his throat to warm him from the inside. His lips were slowly moving away from the purple of death to a much lighter blue. She used a little more magical energy to make the fire burn a little hotter while snacking on jerky and tea. Her special bottomless pack allowed her to carry hay for Dandin and she fed him and Epona before removing all clothing but the scant cotton underwear and breast band.
The man wasn't warming as fast as she would have liked. She snuggled in beside him hoping to help warm him with her own warmth. She was beginning to feel the effects of burning the fire so hot but at least the cave was warmer then stone cold. Epona joined Dandin and settled in lending her own warmth to the two Hylians. Her mind wandered to a time when the man beside her had been her friend.
14 years earlier, alternate timeline...
Hyrule was dying. Ganondorf had taken over creating a land of danger. Few true blood Hylians remained and those that did were scattered throughout the realm. Madeleine had managed to find safety still remained in the walls of Kakariko Village. She had found her gift in healing and was well versed in medicine from the plains. She knew which plants sustained life and those that ended life; plants for headaches, and fatal injuries. She managed to stay off of Ganondorf's radar and keep those few that remained alive.
There had been whisperings across the winds that there was a hero righting wrongs in the land. The first indications that the winds of change were coming was the freeing of Lon Lon Ranch from Ganondorf's grasp. Talon had been residing in the village in for many years in a major depression. Madeleine herself had tried many things including cuccos from Anjula. They would work temporarily but then Talon would revert to depressed sleeping mumbling about Malon. There was too much fear in the land and Malon, although missing her father terribly was powerless to do anything. Until the rumor that Ingo had had a change of heart and Malon declaring that a young man had rescued Epona from Ganondorf's clutches. Talon had returned to the ranch.
The village itself however was only a temporary haven. Death Mountain had been spewing ash for many years and was becoming increasingly violent as Ganondorf revived Volvagia, the ancient dragon. Each villager was prepared to evacuate at a moments notice hoping that it would be enough time to escape a fiery death.
Madeleine first met the hero shortly before the fiery ring around the summit disappeared into a peaceful slumber. He was exhausted and had fallen at her door. Seeing a poor soul she had dragged him in and treated his minor wounds and had him sleep. He shared with her his adventure, feeling he could trust her.
"You are awake traveller." Madeleine said kindly walking up to him with a steaming beverage.
"How did I get here?" He asked eyeing her suspiciously. He noted that he wasn't being held hostage.
"You pretty much fell asleep on my doorstep," she said with laughter, her green eyes dancing. His eyes darted around the room finding his sword and shield neatly beside the nightstand. He visibly relaxed as he took the mug from her.
"Who are you?" He asked curiously, taking a good look at her for the first time.
"I'm Madeleine, are you the man that rescued Epona from Lon Lon Ranch?" She asked curiously. He fit the description that Malon had given her. His blue eyes became wary at the question.
"It depends who is asking." He said suspiciously. Madeleine understood his suspicion. Everyone was suspicious.
"I'm just a lonely healer. I'm only curious about your journey and if you don't want to tell that is fine. The winds already speak of your legendary deeds," She said, turning away from him for a moment to grab some food from the oven. Muffins for breakfast.
"They aren't very legendary..." he said, his voice distant. She turned to him for a moment seeing him lost in thought.
"I know you don't trust me but sometimes saving the world is a lonely business and having a friend that isn't connected to it all might help you cope." She said quietly.
"I wanted to tell Saria about everything that has happened. And Ganondorf stole her from me. She is now trapped as a Sage in the Sacred Realm. Beyond my reach," His shoulders shuddered as he choked back his emotions.
Madeleine thought about this for a moment, remembering a sheikah legend told around campfires in the village about the Sacred Realm and sages and the Triforce. She had later sought out more information in Impa's library. Not many people cared about reading and so many legends stayed hidden but Madeleine remembered this one quite perfectly.
"Hero, what is your name?" She asked gently.
"Link," He mumbled.
"Link, I happen to know a little bit about magic and it doesn't always do what you think it will. Saria, she has become a sage because she has been called to do so..."
"But he killed her first! She must have been so afraid. Kokiri never grow up, they stay children forever and harbour childlike fears," Link spoke out in anguish.
"You underestimate magic Link, Saria has the power of a sage and with that power comes the chance to remain an ethereal being. It may be possible that she can return to you once this land has the evil tide turned back. If you quit now that possibility will never come. I know it's a big burden but if you truly are the Hero of Time then, you need to find your courage and move onto the next step. For Saria at the very least, and I hope you will think of me too. We all need your help to survive," Somewhere during Madeleine's inspiring speech she had grabbed Link's hands.
She blushed at his curious look before dropping them and retreating.
"How do you know so much? About the sages?" Link asked.
"Impa used to tell them to the village children when she and Zelda would spend time away from the castle," Madeleine said still tinged pink.
"Well I think you are right, I need to go. The Gorons look like they are in trouble," Link said, getting up.
"It's worse than you think. The bomb flower leaves create a very nice balm for burns and I used to climb Death Mountain to harvest those leaves but it has become even too dangerous for me. The Gorons have been imprisoned except for Darunia's son," Madeleine said gravely.
"Thank you for giving me your bed for the night," Link said, a tinge of pink flushed across his cheeks as he realized that it had been her bed he'd been sitting on. He pulled his tunic on wondering about the woman that had the gall to pull his boots and shirt off when he was dead asleep. Pulling his boots on he then grabbed the sword and shield and made sure his magic supply pouch was still attached to his belt.
"I'm glad to have met you. If you have time please visit me when you are victorious on that mountain. I believe that you'll prevail Link. You are the one hand chosen by the goddesses. I think you will need this. It's for burns and I have a feeling that where you are going you are going to need it. Also if you ever happen to find another magical pouch like that I would love to have one," she said with a wink.
Link laughed lightly as he accepted a muffin and the salve from Madeleine.
"Again thank you very much Miss Madeleine. Perhaps I'll have more time to get to know you the next time we meet," Link said with a short bow.
"I would like that Hero," she said with a grin. He saluted her and took off at a jog towards the fiery ring that was Death Mountain's current face.
These were Madeleine's last thoughts as the fire drew the last of her magical reserve. She looked at Link long enough to determine he was out of the dangerous hypothermia zone before she too blacked out in exhaustion.