PART EIGHT - THE WILD HORSE CHASE
Link was starting to lose hope.
Well, it may kind be of his fault. He knew he was in a hurry. He knew how dangerous it would be if he got lost, but, well, the bandits kind of got him sidetracked, especially when one of them hit him at the back. Some of them now lay motionless while one of them—the one that threw the rock at Link's back—was nicely tied up and was in the middle of a lesson of how to give out proper respect.
"Pl-please no more…" the man cried. "I'm sorry!"
Link chuckled, placing another rock on the man's bear arms. It was so blistering hot that the rocks were as backed as sizzling pans. The man cried, squirming around in his restraints. Link did a few things on him already but this was something he always wanted to experiment on. It took him a while to realize just how much time had passed when he saw the sky growing dim.
"Shit, shit!" he snapped, getting up and leaving the bound man who cried out for Link to remove the rocks. Link figured he was walking in the same direction and kept looking back to his map. He stopped when he saw his surroundings didn't match it.
He tried not to panic, and turned to head back but for the next few moments, he couldn't find the tied up bandit. The entire area didn't seem familiar either, just a tumble of rocks and stones. Link cursed as he rounded a large boulder. It took him nearly half an hour to realize the dreaded truth.
I'm lost.
And it was getting dark.
Don't freak out. Don't lose your mind. Just calm down.
He'd been treading on the road for nearly four hours, painstakingly. Now according to the merchant, Link would've reached a point where he'll have to climb. No worries there. He just…needed to know where he was currently…
Link looked about himself. No enemies wandered about, but just to be sure, he placed his back against the niche in the mountain wall so that he could safely bring out his compass and map.
First thing you should do, Katie had told him, is check the needle. Which way should you be facing?
East. He said East. Link turned the compass till the needle pointed at his right.
Don't you go straight east, Katie warned. Follow the map! That's why you have it. Check your surroundings first and mark it!
He took out his quill and glanced around, taking in every detail. The ground itself had sunken into a big hole, almost like a crater. He studied the map assiduously, sweat dripping down from his face and pattering on the paper, forcing him to wipe his forehead with the back of his arm. Holy days, this map looked like another language.
Keep checking the map from all angles, Katie had once told him. That advice, he used to roll his eyes and snap at her to get off his shoulder. All he could do now was mentally kick himself for not paying more attention.
He turned the map on different angles, adjusting his perspectives and found it. A small circle drawn with dots on it. Yup, this was the crater and he was down in the middle. It surprised him by how well the map was updated.
He got up, nervous as he walked to the right with the compass held out in front of him. It took a good hour to get out of the area with many boulders waylaying him. Obviously, these were placed by the bandits. A classic trick to corner people with wagons.
Link fished out his water, noting its lightness with concern. He needed to get to that farm…if he could make it.
The sun sank below the cliffs, splashing colors of orange and red on the mountains. The temperature was dropping as well. Monsters scuttled out from the hard terrain, eager to see a lone wanderer but Link was in no mood for them. He simply used his hookshot, latching onto cliffs and crested over the monsters. He used the same trick as he had done in Dethel. Grabbing onto an edge, letting go, fly over in a great leap and when he was getting too close to the ground, grab something else, pull up, let go, repeat.
How did I never use it like this? He wondered, loving how the rush of air revitalized him. Air rushed into his face, cooling him.
Then it got tiring. When more monsters showed up, he used his blessing so he could focus on the map. It was a little hard to concentrate, as he was very tempted to shut the noise pounding and scratching uselessly outside his bubble.
At long last, he began to see a pathway up ahead that cut into a mountain. Narrow path cut into a mountain, jagged rocks running along the edges. This was where the merchant told him he was better off climbing than going through there. It was supposedly safer.
Link would've used his blessings and strolled right through the path, but he wasted them all earlier. With a sigh, he raised an arm, sore from using his hookshot all the time. He found a good spot and fired the metal claw, gritting his teeth as he pulled himself to the landing.
This has better be worth it I swear…
It was almost dark. His muscles were screaming. The blood from his head from those bandits had dried and flaked off the skin when he scratched them. He was only left with a mouthful of water. And he didn't have any more elixirs on stamina and strength.
Only a mile left.
A mile.
He walked with an awkward step, feet so sore and stiff as if he'd wore bricks under them. Many times he got a foot stuck into a cleft or a fissure, and one time it was buried in so deep that he thought it was impossible to take it out. Twisting and turning, the pants of his legs were now torn to thin tassels as he finally got them out the sharp teeth of rocks.
So tired…
But he was close. He was getting close. Galumphing up the rocky hilltop, he pushed himself and finished up the last of the water.
Throughout the gruesome track where every footstep needled into his legs and sending a bolt of pain up his back, he thought about Katie. Were those fairies even going to do anything for her? Will getting Epona back revitalize her somehow?
In any case, he'll leave her there for no more than two days. Hopefully by then, he can make the trip back with his horse and pay the farmers to sleep in the barn or whatever.
Where is the damn place?
At this point, he was well sure that he walked longer than a mile. Frustration started to steam out from him. It wanted out so bad. He wanted to start kicking something, toss some bombs around and start screaming.
Had he been lied to? Had that merchant tricked him?
Then he heard it. The wind blew gently on his face, bringing along with it a sweet melody. He kept on walking till he reached a rundown fence that ran around the perimeter of a mountain meadow. His eyebrows rose up at the sight of greenery left in this wasteland of rocks and dust. Flowers wavered quietly, closed up for the night.
Sheep dotted the field like white marks on a dark green canvas, all scuttling to the side as a man waved them back towards one of the buildings, a brown barn. There were two more buildings—one that was a simple cottage with the windows up to let in the evening breeze, another was a smaller building, circular and it was obviously a stable with the hay stacked outside.
Link entered through the wooden arched gate, words scratched over the top and it was simple enough for him to read it.
Lon Lon Ranch.
This place was a disappointment, a watered-down version of the farms he had in mind, all of which were encouraged by children stories. The grass was thin here, running in waves around the meadow. The buildings were small and he saw no cows or other horses, just the sheep.
But after the day he had, this was the most beautiful thing he'd seen all day.
The man that snapped at the sheep wore shepherd's robe with a wooden staff that curled down at the top. He was nearly hunched down, thin as a widow with a thick beard, and small eyes surrounded by wrinkly flesh.
When the man noticed him, his eyes went firm as he sized Link up, probably deciding if he was trouble. "You look like you've just ran out from hell."
"I actually crawled out."
The man gave a wry smile but the humor wasn't enough to dismiss the skepticism. "If you're looking to buy milk, might want to come back in the morning."
"Name's Link. Look, I'll make this short. You have a red horse you found a few days back, right?" By the look of the man's face, Link figured he hit the mark. "I'm the owner and I've been looking for her for days."
The shepherd looked disturbed as he scratched his beard.
Link froze. "You…you do have her, right?"
"We do," the man said with a nod. "But, see…" He hesitated. "What if I paid you for the horse?"
"I need her." Link narrowed his eyes. "I'm not paying for her either but I'll give you twenty for the trouble. My pockets aren't exactly deep."
"It's not about money, young sir. You see—my daughter's awfully fond of it. We lost our horse just last month, a horse she had since she was wee little. It's a lot like yours, red but with brown mane. If this one's really yours…" The man licked his lips nervously. "My daughter may not give her back."
"She's mine, old man," Link said testily.
The man crossed his arms, chest puffed. "You haven't been treating her so right according to her."
"According to who?" Link snorted. "The horse?"
"Don't be thinking that they're dumb, lad," the shepherd said seriously, the wrinkles making small crevices along his face. "Horses aren't bright but they're a lot smarter than we give 'em credit for. My daughter—a horse whisperer that one—knows a lot about an owner by one look of the horse."
Link made a sharp gesture. "Listen,, I came all the way from Dethel. I walked from there." The man's eyebrows pushed up. "Yeah. Now you're going to be a good man and your daughter'll be a good girl, and you'll both give me back my horse."
The man stiffened. "Alright then. I'll go—no, Abby!" He clicked his tongue in mild annoyance, bringing up his staff to scare off the sheep that was messing with the fences.
"I'll go," Link said. He can't wait any longer for this. The man wanted to protest until a section of the fence gave out and few sheep scuttled over it curiously, keeping him busy.
Link invited himself into the stable. It was small with stalls just at a turn. The smell of hay and sweat hit his face. Sticks of hay scattered across the wooden-paneled floor. There was a small giggle, and a snort of an animal. All the stalls were empty except for one at the very end.
Link stopped at the turn and for a long moment, he couldn't speak. He didn't know if she'd always been this big, or if her hair had been that neat.
But there she was—Epona. A gift from Ruto. Her head hung out from the door of her stall where a young woman was feeding her from the palm.
The girl was gorgeous with ginger hair that ran out from her shoulders and strikingly green eyes. A splash of freckles crossed over her nose. She wore white apron that she held up, using it to hold the seeds that she fed over to the horse. Giggling, she let go of the apron when it was all finished, patting Epona fondly.
Link cleared his throat. The girl whirled, startled to see him with his arms folded and a humored look over him.
"What—who are you?" she demanded. When Epona finally saw him, she gave a whiny sound. The girl, confused, held the reins while glancing at Link warily. "Are you one of my father's partners?"
"I might be the guy who's heart you stole," he said with a charming smile.
The girl gave him a flat look. "Who are you?"
"Name's Link."
"Link?" She blinked. "Are…are you the Link?" she asked, looking at him from head to toe.
"I could be your Link," he said with a grin.
She rolled her eyes. "Why are you here? If you're here for milk then—" Epona acted up, scuffing. The girl turned. "What's wrong?"
Link narrowed his eyes at the horse, the one who had dumped him off outside of Desmera before running off with half his things. Oh, the trouble. "I'm here for my horse."
The girl hanged her jaw. "You—your horse?"
"Yeah—"
"So you're the bastard!" She surprised him by strolling up and japing a finger in his face. "You sick twisted bastard—if my uncles were still here, they'd have pound you like a jackcake!"
"Well, you're lucky that they aren't here otherwise I'd have done much worse," Link said testily, but his anger was quick to subside by how lovely she looked up close. "Listen, sweetheart, I came a long way for her, so thanks for keeping her around but I'll be taking her now."
"You won't be taking her anywhere, you shit."
And now he stopped liking her. "She's my—"
"Do you have any idea how much you've tormented her?" she snapped. "You left her to wander off on her own!"
"What—she ran off on me!" he shot back. "And I lost her way long ago, about a month!"
"What are you talking about?"
"I—she bucked me off," he admitted, and she gave a dry smile at that. "And she was handed off from one person to the other. The last who had her was killed in an ambush, she got loose and, well, here she is."
The girl was shocked and turned away from him. "Oh, you poor thing!" she lamented, hugging Epona's head. Link was shocked to see the girl had tears in her eyes. "Oh, poor sweetheart. That's what you've been through?"
Link frowned. "You mean, poor me. I've been running around without a horse."
"You don't get to speak," the girl snarled.
"Listen, sweetie—"
"Malon. My name's Malon, not your sweetie, you ass."
"How about bitch then?" Link said hotly, out of patience. "She's my damn horse and I'm taking her back!"
"You think she'd go with you after everything you've done to her?" she asked incredulously then opened the door to Epona's stall. "Well, go ahead. If she belongs to you, then who am I to stop you? Take her back yourself."
Link scoffed, walking over to the stall where Epona backed away. "Come on, girl."
The horse pointedly turned her head away.
Link growled and grabbed her reins. "Come on."
Epona tugged harder, whinning.
"We. Are. Leaving," he hissed, trying to pull with all he's got but this horse was a lot stronger than he anticipated. His grip slipped, and he staggered back, knocking and toppling over into haystacks.
Malon cried out but not for the mess. "You're so horrible to her! Look how you've frightened her!"
Link grunted, rubbing his head and looking up with eyes teeming with fire. He spent days asking every person around, he made enemies, plenty of enemies with the Silver Company, he might have even lost Katie—all for this shit horse.
He got to his feet but Malon was in the way. She was awfully brave to face down against someone who was twitching.
"You may be her owner but she's not your horse," she said with her arms crossed. "She won't carry you around. She won't listen to your orders. She won't give one damn about you. In fact, she'll buck you off a cliff the moment she sees her chance. You understand that?"
Link grounded his teeth.
"If you don't like that, then you could leave. You don't ever force a horse around like that. Who do you think you are?"
Link shoved her to the side, shocking her to speechlessness as he waltzed up to the horse. Epona whined, and when he got too close, she reared up on her two back legs, her front kicking up. He nearly got smacked and had to stagger away from her before she could stomp on him. For a moment, he saw only red. For a moment, his hand itched for his sword to swing and cleave this animal and make a thousand pieces out of it.
Malon stood next to Epona, a pitchfork at hand. Her hands shook a little. "I'm not going to let you hurt her anymore. Either you leave now or I call my father."
Link snorted dryly. "As if your old man could stand next to me."
"Leave now," she said forcefully, pointing the pitchfork at him. It was dull and red with rust along the edges but she really looked like she meant to use it. The woman was no challenge, the old man was a joke, but was it really worth it? All for this stupid horse?
Link got up. That was it. That was enough. He was hungry, thirsty, and tired. His back hurt whenever he moved, his feet were in agony. He'd rather face Dethal and the company than stay here any longer.
But by the time he had a hand to the door, the thought of a small, dismal fairy came to his mind. Unresponsive, cold, miserable. He thought bringing Epona back would cheer her up but Link couldn't see how the horse could do anything other than being a bitch. Katie may not even come back from seeing the horse.
But…she loves the stupid thing.
Link let out a long sigh that seemed to bring down his anger like a house made up of straws.
"What are you doing?" Malon demanded. "Get the hell out!"
"Look, I just want my horse back," he said a little calmer.
"You're not getting her," she sneered, holding up the pitchfork with the means to impale him if he got any closer.
"I never had a horse," he confessed.
She snorted disdainfully. "Yeah, it shows."
"She's a gift from a friend."
"And that friend had made a terrible mistake of ever giving you a gift," Malon said sharply. "If you don't know how to handle a horse, then you shouldn't even be given one."
"Then teach me."
Malon paused.
Link stepped forward with his placate hands shown. "Look, I need this horse, okay? I'm doing something serious here. I'll admit, I've been an ass to her but she's been one to me."
"You can't blame her," Malon hissed, putting down the pitchfork at her side. The bottom of it made a hard thud on the wood below. "Horses are a reflection of their owners. The way you act, the way you behave, all that energy goes to her. I'm not at all surprised to find her as she is. It tells me enough about you." She looked at him like he was a bad stain on her floor.
Link scratched his head, turning to see the horse that was backing up away from him.
Malon eyed him carefully. "You really want her back?"
"Yes," he said. "I walked all the way from Dethel on foot." He hoped that would show enough and it did. Her eyes widened a little.
"And how many days it took you to do that?"
"Just one." Now she looked as if she didn't believe him. "Look, I got lost, hunted down by bandits, fought down monsters." He pointed a finger at the horse. "All for her. She doesn't want me and I don't know what to do from here."
The girl looked at the horse with some heartbreak then she closed her eyes and took out a deep breath. "Fine," she said and raised a finger, looking at him with clear green eyes. "But first you must show me dedication—"
"I think walking for a whole day is dedication and amazement," Link pointed out irritably.
"I won't hand her to you if you act up on me, okay?"
"Fine."
"It'll take a few weeks but—"
"Few weeks!" he cried.
She gave him a hard look. "You think you could befriend a horse any time soon? With how you are?"
He hoped he didn't look desperate. "I can try. Really."
She didn't look convinced. "Truly?"
"Truly. Come on, I walked from Dethel on my own! You have any idea what's it like out there? Plus I need to be somewhere soon so I want to make this quick."
Malon looked somewhat doubtful. "We'll try a week then. That's all I could do."
Link rubbed his hands over his face. "Oh my days…"
"You want to win her back or what?"
Epona made a noise. Link glanced back, wondering how much effort would take to get back on her good grace. He may not know a lot about horses but he knew it'll take longer than a week. "Goddammit."
You just had to give me a horse, fish bait.
"I want devotion," she said sternly. "And I want to see you sweat at it."
"Sweat, eh?" he said with a wide grin.
She colored. "I mean in work!"
"Oh, I know what you mean," he said smoothly.
She looked ready to use her pitchfork. "And you'll carry none of that when I'm teaching you, otherwise it's to the road with you."
He sighed. These days you could only have fun with whores. "All right. All right."
"I'll get you something to eat. You look like you could use it." Her nose crinkled but she was too polite to tell him that he smelled.
Link was grateful she didn't charge him anything. Maybe she just felt sorry for him. Hell, he was starting to feel sorry for himself.
She gave him some thick soup and a refreshing glass of water, before handing him sheets and blankets. While he fixed himself a bed on the haystacks in the stable, she took Epona out to rest in the barn with the sheep. Obviously, she didn't trust him enough to leave the horse alone. He didn't blame her. If his patience has been just a shade less than it was, then he'd have taken Epona and leave this madness behind.
He rested down on his impromptu bed. He should be glad at how things worked out, but he was starting to think that maybe a five-hour hike might turn out to be easier than this little bonding thing with the horse. It didn't take a genius to know how the horse really felt about him.
Oh, this is going to be a long week.
o-o-o-o
"Okay! First thing you have to do, before you even think of riding a horse, is earning her trust. No point in riding her if you two aren't acquainted. But how about you stop glaring at me like that?"
"So damn early," he said through clenched jaws, eyes squinted from sleep and from the blazing torch that hung in the sky.
"The earlier the better." She seemed pretty content with herself at that, and gave him a look. "What, you think I have all the time in the world for you? You don't see the sheep that need tending and milking? The hay that needs stacking? The cottage that needs cleaning?" She scowled. "Wipe that grouchy look or you'll scare the poor thing."
The poor thing was enjoying the fresh hay that was brought out on the field. Link found it strange still that Malon also named the horse Epona as well, thinking it was a suiting name. Link eyed at the stack of hay, wincing slightly of how the night went out for him. Nothing but tossing and turning and settling for the ground in the end. Despite using the bed sheet, the hay kept sticking out from the stack, itching through his clothes. You could say he wasn't exactly in the most wonderous mood for this.
"Let's start over then, the two of you," Malon continued, breaking his tired thoughts. "You'll want to do a re-over if you hope to get anywhere with her."
Link sighed. It was fortunate that he still had that lovely bottle Cett had given him. With a belly full of fresh milk and eggs and a good sip of sake, it was a lot easier to swallow down his impatience.
He faced the horse who was occupied with its hay. "What should I do?"
"Introduce yourself," Malon said simply, curling her hair back from her face when the wind pushed it up. "Oh, don't give me that look. You need to start over."
"And she'll understand that?"
"You'll understand that. I see you don't think high of horses and this will help you respect them a little more. Now then." She reached into the pocket of her long skirt and brought out an apple. "Best way to win a horse's affection is by a treat."
She proffered it to him but he shook his head with a frown. "I've done that already and she still won't listen."
"This'll be different. You'll be a lot more friendlier this time and put a nice smile when you give this to her." Malon pressed the apple firmly into his hands. "Make her feel safe. Show her that you mean no harm."
He was still feeling exhausted from yesterday's long trip. He wished for a bath more than anything, but at this point, he figured that the only bath they'd give him would be a bucket of water.
Link turned to find Epona still busy with breakfast. On the far corner of the field, the sheep were dotted white with a lone figure not too far from them. The old man, Tanlon, wasn't exactly thrilled when he heard of the extra mouth they had to feed but Malon was pretty persuasive.
It was a shame that Link was starting to hate her a little. She really wanted to push him, just to see how much could she rile him up. Or better yet, she'll get him to change his mind, get him to see that this was too much trouble. Then she'll keep the horse.
As if.
He took a deep breath and walked over. As if sensing him, the horse stopped her feed and raised her head up. Under the blazing sun, she looked brownish, her white mane a bright halo around her head. Seeing him approach, she jittered away timorously.
Malon just shook her head at the sorry start. "You've really traumatized her."
Link slowed down his pace, going in gentle and steady steps, his hand outstretched. The horse saw the apple but he might as well be holding a dagger with the way she was looking at him.
"Good girl," Link said with some wheedle. "That's a good girl."
"Get closer," Malon insisted. "If you start to be afraid, then she'll feel the same."
"I'm not afraid," he said peevishly, though he was hesitant to get any closer. Epona was rearing on the edge, close to bolting out. He dared another careful step, using the same tone. The horse gingerly sniffed the apple. "I didn't poison it. There. That's a good girl."
Epona's eyes were dark, glinting in the sun. Her snout neared the apple, sniffing it. Then she paused. Link may have gotten impatient somewhere along the line and the horse might've picked up on it since she totted away, nearly shoving him back if he didn't step away. For a moment, he considered throwing the apple at her.
"What's the matter with her?"
"Not bad for a first try," Malon said, though she wasn't too happy at the results. "You shouldn't bark at her like that."
"I just did everything you told me," he said hotly.
She japed a finger at him. "Don't carry that tone with me if you want to dream of ever getting near her, understand? She's a smart horse."
"Dumb horse, you mean."
"Smart," she said sharply. "Smart enough to have respect for herself to not let someone like you mistreat her. If this is how it's going to play out, you losing your temper, then we might as well stop here. If you want to have any kind of relationship, then you have to feel for it."
Link grinded his teeth but kept it shut. Seeing as how he was too irritated to face Epona, Malon decided to send him out to do tasks around the farm, like fixing up the fences that were often being knocked down.
Normally, Link would've snapped that he was no errand boy but he welcomed the chores as they were pleasant distractions. He didn't want to think about Katie, who might be slowly dying with useless fairies around her. He didn't want to think about the commander who was now at the seat of a very dangerous company seeking out his blood. And mostly, he didn't want to think about his precious dog, who was still out there.
The wind blew at him, breaking him out from the heavy sweat. He knew he smelled awful and looked just as bad. At least he could walk around freely with no cloak on. There were some pegs of fences that were long rotten and black. They were brittle too, more like splinters held together by glue.
The meadow was blanketed with a thin sheet of grass but just outside its periphery were hard rocks. The fences have been pounded into small cracks but they were wiggling in it, some had fallen. If this really was meant to keep everything out, then this place wouldn't last for two weeks.
He took it upon himself to do some chopping. With a good axe and a wheelbarrow he found in the barn, he went over to the stable to where he found bundles of wood. It helped that he did have some practice making fences with Hank, the handy man of his former gang.
Hank was finicky with how he wanted the wood to be cut. He was a nagging fly in their ears, demanding for supplies while he just sat back lazily. Link cut the log lengthwise, cleaving it into two halves. He wasn't planning on replacing every wood in the field but just those that were such in a sorry state that it bothered him.
He tried not to think about his friends too much but they slipped into his mind like water through a heavy set of bars. Where they well? Monsters were improving and with the commanders out there, things will only grow more difficult.
Should I really do something about this Thomasine guy? He thought idly, pounding one peg firmly into the small crack in the ground.
He stopped suddenly, gawking at the thought of it. Him, against a commander? Another commander? Once was quite enough, thank you. One and a king to go with it. What the hell was going to get to fight another one of Charles's puppets? Thomasine won't be alone. He'll have a whole company of deadly mercenaries to back him up.
Need to stay focused, dammit.
But despite the grueling work of walking around—checking for dilapidated pegs and diligently pounding in new ones—he found it hard to keep his focus. It kept wiggling out like a slippery eel in his hands, and many times the hammer caught his thumb.
He cursed and sucked in the sore thumb. His journey had been simple once. Get Agnes back. No delays. Nothing else mattered but her. It was still the same plan but no longer simple. No longer could he rely on himself to take to the road without being sidetracked, lost, confused. No longer could he allow himself be ignorant and had to start learning to read and write and manage a bloody map.
The world was getting messier, and it'll get harder for him to get out of its tangle. For some reason, no matter how hard he tried to avoid trouble, it always came running after him with opened arms.
Link checked around once again and found no more pegs that were needed replacement. He turned back to the barn, noting the door loosening from its hinges. He was no handy man but he knocked down plenty of doors before and had to fix it himself, Ilia made him do it.
The wood here was just as weak as the fences out there. It was so untenable, so brittle that he could only shake his head. What would those two farmers do if bandits decided to pay a visit? How the hell did Tanlon keep his farm and his daughter safe at the same time?
The old man must have plenty of connections. That merchant who helped Link with the directions sounded like he knew them. Being near the Silver Company, even all the way out in this reclusive mountain, did have its benefits, especially those who knew how to get on their good grace.
But now that there was a new leader, Link didn't know. Would Tanlon make a new deal or was the old man stubborn in the old ways? Link rubbed his head, chiding at himself. He really needed to stop thinking like this. It did no good to worry over things that he had no control over. He sounded almost as bad as Katie.
Need to be friends with that thing quick, he thought, eyeing Epona. The horse galloped unfettered across the field, and her rider was just as exuberant. Bright red and white hair flew in the wind like tassels.
A shadow appeared behind him. "My good word."
Link flickered his eyes back to see the old man standing with a shocked look.
"What have you been up to, young man?"
"Fixed your fences, and door to the barn," Link counted down, and didn't realize how much work he had done till he started naming them, "cleaned the stables a little, stacked up the haystacks so they weren't just lying around. I chopped up some firewood, cut up some of the wood just in case…" he trailed off, blinking. Had he really been that bored?
Well, it earned him respect. "By Din, I've always meant to have the fences fixed but never had the money to hire a lad to do it!" The man brightened up and all traces of suspicions vanished from his lined face. "Come inside, come inside. I'll have a bath made for you myself. You look like you could use it."
"Yes," Link said gratefully. His tunic was well stuck to his skin with sweat. Beads of it ran down his face, pattering the ground from where he worked. He still had some dry blood under his sleeve from when the monster had nicked him. The wound was healed but the skin wasn't cleaned. A bath sounded like heaven.
"Don't you ever get monsters around here?" Link asked as they were headed towards the cottage.
The shepherd rested his staff against his shoulder. A few yards away, they could see Malon having fun, forcing away the sheep to scuttle to the barn where she would milk them for the merchant to come. Seeing her riding with ease, he had to admit the girl has some skills.
"Monsters don't get here," the man replied. "We're at higher grounds. You'd need to do a little climbing first to reach here. How else did you get here?"
Link thought for a moment. "But how'd you get the horse here then?"
Tanlon smiled, as if he'd been waiting for Link to ask the question. "How do you think?"
Link thought it over. He hated difficult questions but his time with all those hell-holes that people call 'temples', not to mention the death trap known well as the catacombs, he was growing to tolerate them. "You use wooden planks, don't you?"
Tanlon nodded. "Not an easy thing to do. Merchants use a long way around, adding about three hours into their trip. With a horse, it's a lot tougher since you need a wide road for them," Tanlon said, opening up the door for Link before entering himself. "The wood needs to be firm and strong. Just one creak of it and the horse will be too stiff to cross. Sometimes she's scared either way and won't do it.
He set down the staff near the door. "But my daughter? She could have them crossing through the air. They never say no to her."
The cottage was small with two floors. The smell of the wood comforted him and the eggs from the morning lingered in the air. Wooden floorboards creaked lightly with each step, flowers painted over the walls. Link hoped his work would redeem him enough that they'd allow him to at least sleep on the couch. He didn't know how much his back could take with haybeds.
Link looked at one of the brown and white picture of a little girl with her arms around the head of her horse as she smiled brightly.
Tanlon stopped beside him, looking at the picture wistfully. "She lost her horse a while back." He shook his head. "Poor girl. She loved him to bits. When we got your horse—you see, someone gave her to us as part of a favor we've done for him—she was overjoyed. It'll break her heart, but the horse is yours in the end and she's set on making sure to treat her right."
Link waited while the man made the bath upstairs. He glanced back at the portraits. There were more of them, almost all with a horse. What was so special about a horse? You could always get another one.
And you could get another dog, a voice told him snidely.
Fair point, he thought.
Once the bath was ready, Link relaxed in steaming water, breathing out with a great relief. There was soap and shampoo, but he didn't bother with that now. He just leaned back with his head over the edge of the tub, resting his arms on either side with his legs tucked in the water.
All the knots in his shoulders slowly untangled and mitigated. But as always, his troubles had a unique way of slithering back into his thoughts. He thought of Katie again. It was way too long since he heard her voice and he found himself missing it. Had it always been this quiet without her? In some way, it was a feeling similar to when he spent the first three days subsequent to Agnes's kidnapping.
Wish I have a book now, he thought at random. He could read bits of the sentence and if he didn't know any words then he'd underline them and show them to Katie later. In some cases, he'd make up his own words and make his own conclusions of the story. The pictures did help to enhance his imagination.
"Yes, I gave the boy some milk," a voice close to his door replied. Link snapped his eyes open just as the door handle moved. "Yes, I've made sure—" Malon froze as she now had to face Link who was waist down in the bath, his leaned scarred arms resting on the side.
Her mouth dropped and a deep flush ran up to her throat, coloring her entire face as red as her hair.
Link grinned, winking. "Didn't hear you knock. Want to join me?"
She slammed the door shut. Link tipped his head back with an explosive laughter. Poor girl wanted to take a bath herself. Ah, she was a feisty one for sure but she had a woman's heart all right.
Link rested in the tub for a while, trying to let it sooth away his troubles for the moment. When it started to go cold, he used the soap and shampoo, smelling the fresh scent of strawberries and oranges. Tanlon had a set of clothes out for him while he put away Link's tunic in the laundry. It was good to wear normal clothes for a change, clean jumpers with a sleeveless white shirt. Best of all, dinner came shortly after that.
Malon pointedly ignored him, the deep flush coloring her neck. He smiled, and when Tanlon asked for the reason behind the smile Link said it was nothing. The old man was a lot amicable, giving seconds and even thirds whenever Link asked. It was only a few hours till sundown when they finished lamb ribs, a platter of salad and some mashed potatoes thick with gravy, all washed down with milk.
Outside the field, the blades of grass moved in the wind, looking like a gentle wave. The wind brushed through his wet hair and his new clothes, bringing out the favorable scent. He used the same old pins to keep his bangs up. It felt strange without his cap on, without his tunic. It felt even stranger to be clean without any dirt under his fingernails, with his skin showing on his arms. He felt like a new man.
Malon whistled over Epona to them. The horse trotted over at once, and Link watched this with some interest. He was rather keen on learning how to do that, calling a horse and having it come to you rather than wasting time making the trip to them.
Malon acted just as she had always done, and you'd think things were back to normal if you didn't notice with way how she kept Link back at an arm's length.
"Let's try what we did this morning," she said, tossing him the apple rather than simply handing it.
Link caught it with a tired sigh. "Again?"
"I won't be able to teach you anything if she doesn't trust you." Epona started to wonder off but Malon was quick to bring her back. She took the horse by the reins, bringing her closer to Link with encouragement. "Come on, she won't bite."
Link sighed. "Hey, horse."
"Say her name," Malon said irritably. "You don't want someone to say 'hey, boy' to you."
Link felt a touch of impatience but the bath and the food had greatly improved his mood. "Hey, Epona. Good girl. I have something really nice for you." He remembered Katie, of her being alone in the woods. He looked at Epona's eye, wondering if he should pet her but thought against it. Shouldn't rush into things.
Epona sniffed at the apple as she had done this morning.
Come on. Please.
"It's good. I promise," Link encouraged, bringing the apple a little closer. Epona jutted away from it. "Maybe she already ate."
"Even if she did, she loves apples too much to refuse them." Malon patted the horse on the side. "It's okay, girl. Come on."
Epona inched closer. Link felt anticipation bubbling. "Good girl. Don't you want this apple? It's pretty tasty. If you won't take it, I will."
Epona opened her mouth, looking as if to taste it. Link yelped when the horse just dived her mouth in, taking the whole thing. She nearly took his fingers as well, but he was so glad that he didn't care.
"Yes! Finally."
Epona jittered away nervously and ran off. Link fell back before she could trample over him. The disconcerted mane didn't come back, not even when Malon called her over. "Well, that's that."
"What was that for?" Link complained.
"You did pretty well," she said. From the sounds of it, she wasn't expecting that. Link got up, rubbed the dirt from his hands. "Though you should keep your voice down. You must've startled her a lot when you yelled at her before."
Link rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh. Then a wicked grin grew on his face but Malon raised a finger to stop the train of words.
"A word of what happened back there," she warned, face turning red, "and you'll be sleeping in the barn again."
Link closed his mouth promptly then smiled. "So I'll be sleeping in the house?"
"Let's just say that by fixing our fence you are now my father's favorite."
"And what could I do to be your favorite?"
She gave him a hard look. "You won't stop, will you?"
"It's hard to stop when I'm in the presence of a beautiful woman," Link said with a charming smile. It had the effect that he was looking for. A deeper color brightened her face.
But there often came consequences when you give a woman the wrong kind of attention.
"That's it. You're sleeping in the barn."
His smile fell like a cracked mask. "Wait, no, come on, I was just joking."
She turned away. "Too late. Have fun reading poets with your horse. Oh, and you'll be cleaning her right after I finish with the laundry so I hope you're ready for that."
"Hey, come on, I was joking. Hey!"
She was already gone, face so flushed that she looked like a tomato. Normally, he'd be chuckling at the sight, even admiring her gumption, but he dragged a hand over his face. Goddammit. There goes his chance of a warm bed.
He spotted Epona with her gait slowing down as she got near the trough outside of the stable. Malon tasked him to wash her. Great.
o-o-o-o
With a groan and aching muscles, he finally laid down on the haystack. For once, it didn't seem as stiff.
"You missed a spot," Malon pointed out with a giggle. He wanted to throw a bucket at her head and see if she still found it funny.
"This was pointless! She didn't need a bath!" he snapped.
"Look, it's good practice," Malon said, getting up from the ground from where she was inspecting Epona. The horse was nice and clean as if bought right out from the market. She didn't seem tired at all which was strange since she was the one that kept flinching back, making a mess out of everything. At one point, she spilled the last of the water, forcing Link to go to the well to get some more.
Link nearly struck the horse but caught himself in time. If he did any of that then he could go on dreaming of ever wining her back. So he kept his tongue between his teeth acquiescently as he tried to scrub her side. He noticed small but long thin marks across her side that would've been impossible to see from afar.
They were scars. Scars from whips. Malon had stared at him, as if wondering if he had done it or perhaps waiting for him to acknowledge it. But Link kept on scrubbing or tried to at least. Damn thing kept flinching over so much. Soap was everywhere and he found himself slipping from time to time.
Malon laughed heartily. Link did not.
And now he had enough. He just laid on his haybed and was not making any indication that he will move from his place.
And Malon was wise enough to know better than to push him. "Well, good work then." She scratched the horse behind the ear, smiling fondly. "She didn't buck at you so that's good. It means she's leaning on trusting you. Just a little. You'll need some time before you're able to ride her. Tomorrow, you'll begin with feeding her again."
Link nodded absent-mindedly, his sore-red hands tucked under the blanket. The day drained a lot out of him.
"And if you're good, then you'll have the courtesy of sleeping in a nice soft bed."
"Mm'kay," he muttered sleepily, closing his eyes.
He heard the wood creak as she walked away but then they went quiet. "Link?"
"Hmm?"
"Where have you been planning to go with Epona?" she asked, coloring a little when he turned his head to look at her. "Curious is all. It's not good to overwork her."
Link turned his head to look at the ceiling. "I'm on a hard journey here. It used to be easier before this country took a shit turn."
She waited for a while in awkward silence and when he didn't reply, she kept the conversation going, "What are you trying to do, if you don't mind me asking?"
Link sighed out, hoping that his annoyance gave her a hint. "I'm looking for my dog."
A pause. "What?"
"My dog," he said with an edge. "Kidnapped. I'm looking for her. Why's it hard to understand?"
"I didn't know—"
"Look, I'm pretty tired. If you want me to wake up before the sun then you could turn off the lantern before you leave."
If she took offense to his tone, she didn't show it. "Alright then. Goodnight."
"Night." He closed his eyes, hearing the whine of the door's hinges as Malon opened the door. He didn't hear it closed and let out a long irritated breath. "What now?"
"If you really are looking for your dog," she said. "Then it must be because you love animals."
He nearly laughed at the absurdity. "Sweethearts, animals are not something I give a shit about. They either end up on my plate or they can go bury themselves. I don't care."
"But—"
"My dog is different," he said, looking up at the wooden rafters. "She's better than all the animals, better than that one too."
Malon crossed her arms. The lantern glittered her eyes. "Why don't you try to imagine Epona is your dog?" she suggested.
He snorted. "That's like trying to pretend sake is water if you drink it fast enough."
She looked irritated by his tone, which he planned her to be. He really did want to get some sleep and he was starting to get quickly tired of her. Well, no damn wonder there wasn't any sorry chap lurking about to admire her. There was little to admire.
"Don't treat her like a horse then," she said. "Treat her like a friend. If you really want to reach your dog, then you need to treat Epona more than just someone who's meant to carry you around."
Finally, she turned off the lantern and left. She kept Epona in the stable this time, showing enough trust that Link wouldn't try to escape with her. Link rolled around in his bed, then gave up trying to be comfortable, cursing himself for not keeping his mouth shut earlier. He turned to look at the horse, wondering how he managed to befriend a dog if he couldn't get close to Epona without getting a startled reaction.
Don't think about her. Stop thinking about her.
Not when he overworked himself just to avoid the thought of her, but Agnes interfered with his thoughts anyways. He closed his eyes, wishing more than anything to just see her again. If only he knew how she was, if someone was looking after her. If he knew she was well then he wouldn't be working himself to the bone right now.
He tried to dismiss the thought of anyone hurting her and it didn't go away easily as another newer worry joined it. What of Katie? It was nighttime. The foliage was too thick in the forest so the moonlight wouldn't be able to reach her. She would be left in the darkness, her greatest fear. If those fairies weren't there for her, then it meant he just left her there alone…all alone in the dark woods…
o-o-o-o
"Are you always going to be an ass when I wake you up?"
"I wouldn't be an ass if I was sleeping in a nice soft bed," he said meaningfully.
"That's your own fault," she said simply, eyes narrowing when he continued to sulk. "And this won't do. Go splash water in your face and then come back."
He bit back his complaints as best as he could. This girl loved being in charge, doesn't she? He took the ladle from the bucket of water and hung his face down, splashing cold water over him. It shocked him awake a little and soon he was back with Malon with his temper cooled.
"Now, I suppose I was wrong about letting you shower her the other night. She was still afraid of you," the farmer said without much regret.
"You say this now after I tripped on my face about three times?"
She giggled, though Link did not find it amusing. "It was kind of funny."
And how funny would it be if I had cleaved that horse in half?
"Why did make me do it then?" he glared at her. "She was still afraid of me and you knew that."
"Well, you winded me up," she admitted with her arms crossed, looking away from him.
"Hey, you were the one that walked in on me," he pointed out and grinned. "And—"
"And what?" she asked, snapping her eyes back at him. Her face flushed but the challenge was clear in her eyes.
It took half an hour of stretching and he still couldn't get rid of the soreness that knotted his back. "And I'll say that mistakes happen and we should move on from it."
"And I'll say that's about the smartest thing that ever came out of your mouth," Malon said with obvious relief. "Now then, let's start with you feeding her again but with this."
She brought out a carrot and handed it to him. He was tempted to eat it himself, not just to irritate the horse but because sweet Malon refused to let either herself or Link eat breakfast until Epona ate first. He could smell the fried eggs and crispy bacon from the cottage. They'd go cold soon.
The hunger was making him pugnacious and irritated but he tried his damnest to keep his patience. Epona approached him with less hesitation. Perhaps she was just hungry since, this time, she didn't cause him much trouble. He only had to cajole her some more and when the carrot was gone from his hand, he kept his victory quiet.
"Now try petting her," Malon said cheerfully.
"Can't we eat first?" Link whined.
"No, you ought to pet her now while she's still in a good mood."
That's not what Link heard. What he heard was: I don't you to take my horse from me so I'll make sure that you lose your temper first so then she won't want anything to do with you!
It was a good plan that was nearly working. It became something physical for him to keep his tone steady and calm. Yesterday, he made somewhat of a good progress, maybe a little too fast for Malon's liking.
Well, now he was more than determine to do this.
Epona was still chewing on the carrot and paused when saw Link getting too close for comfort. "Easy girl. Easy," he assured when she stiffened. Really, was she that scared of him? Dammit, why, just why, couldn't Ruto give him money? Or sake? Or both?
Again, he thought of Agnes. She never feared him. Ever. When she saw him standing on the ledge of a high cliff with jagged rocks at the bottom, she didn't move from her place, only barking at him. Her interference took away that moment of bravery where he would have fling himself without a thought. He had wanted to kill her for that but she wasn't fazed. She was so clean that day, so colorful in a land where no other colors was a gold found in a bucket of coals.
"Link?"
Link blinked when Malon's voice brought him back. He looked at Epona, trying to think of his dog, how safe that little puppy made him, safer than a sword in his hand.
"Good girl," he said softly, stepping closer. This time Epona didn't back away, and actually welcomed the hand that rested on the front of her nose.
Malon went very still, just staring at them. Then her father asked about breakfast and the moment was broken. Epona ran off once more into the field. Link blinked as if snapping out from a trance. He didn't know if he did something wrong but Malon assured that it wasn't him. She wouldn't look at him in the eyes or said anything after that. They returned to the house, ate up the food Malon cooked. It was cold but Link welcomed it with the fresh milk of the morning.
Soon, everyone was off to do their chores. The sheep had milking to do and the milk would then have to be bottled with some spared to make cheese. Then there were merchants to make trades off as well. Link did his best to make sure he stayed well away from anyone that could be from Dethel who might've heard of him.
He searched desperately for something to fill in the times when Malon wasn't free for him. He tried to approach Epona but without Malon to calm her down, the horse kept jilting him. So he returned to the barn, swept the floors clean from sticks of hay. Then he went out and tried to do anything so he wouldn't be bored.
He still wore the borrowed jumpers, comfortable without the sleeves on. He saw his tunic with the cap out, drying in the back garden, waving in the wind. Only his Master Sword hung on his back with a tight leather to conceal it. The rest of his things were inside the barn, as they weighed too much to carry around when he tried to get his chores done. But his sword stayed with him. Always.
The strenuous work brushed some of his worries to the side. He cleaned up the barn, moving to the stables and cleaned out Epona's stall as well, noting the empty trough.
The sheep were nearly out of water as well. There were barrels just outside of the cottage, refilled by Tanlon himself, but Link didn't use them. Instead he went up to the wells himself with his own buckets.
He walked back and forth, filling Epona's water trough, and then the sheep's trough, all twelve of them. He had no idea how many times he did the trip but it took two buckets to fill one trough. Next he organized the haystacks, determined not to let his tongue slip up so he doesn't have to sleep in one of them.
There were no monsters out to occupy him. Link went as far as he dared from the farm but it was as Tanlon said. No monsters could climb up here, not unless they made another, longer trip around. It really was irritating to have so much free time and not have any use for it.
Tanlon came by, gave Link some hints about how the haystacks could sure use some lifting and arranging. The man tried to be subtle about it but Link knew he should be getting a great compensation out of this.
For a moment, Link didn't think of himself as a swordsman, as a warrior, as a survivor. For now, he was a farmer, another helper. It felt so strange to be thinking that this was how normal people functioned. Normal people who don't see monsters occasionally. Normal people who rely on the bliss of ignorance, on the safety of their community.
It all felt like a lie but it was a lie that always confused him. Who could live like this? So blind from everything? Hell, he was the most wanted man on the Silver Company but these people don't even know that. Just how much ignorance do normal people have?
He shook his head as he headed to the stable, overlooking the stalls with his mind still stuck about a certain fairy. What was going on with her really? Was it really just from shock? She did see her friend, or perhaps it could be the first time she ever saw a friend die? Maybe he shouldn't have snapped at her like that when she so deep in her misery. Dammit, maybe he should have taken the potion instead. It could've helped her.
"Link!"
Link jolted. Though he spent so long on simple, mind-numbing errands, his years of fighting, of surviving came rushing through him. He had his hand on the hilt and stopped halfway when he spotted Malon.
Chest heaving, he seethed at her. "Never do that with me," he snarled. "Ever."
"Sorry, sorry," she said hastily, startled. "I was—I kept calling you but your head was somewhere else."
He went over the stacks of hay. So much damn hay. Where did they get it from?
"I was thinking of something, that's all," he said with a grunt as he hefted one stack on his shoulder. Sometimes the grass wasn't enough for the sheep so they were fitted with good hay for supper.
"I'm done with my chores so we could get started on Epona if you want," she said.
"Let me finish up first."
"Okay." She paused. "Thank you."
He walked back in for another stack after setting up a pile outside, not stopping. "For what?"
"For helping us with this. My father's getting old but he doesn't want me to tire myself with this. Business is going slow and—"
"I just don't like sitting down with nothing else to do," he cut her off, setting down the haystack outside before going back in, passing by her. "That's it."
"I saw you going outside the farm. What were you planning to do?"
"Monster hunting."
"Monster hunting?!"
He turned to see her horrified. "What?"
"Are you serious? It's dangerous out there!"
He gave her a wry smile. "You don't see the sword on my back?"
She put her hands on her hips, arching an eyebrow. "So what, you're a good fighter?"
He grinned, setting another haystack on his shoulder. "You want to watch me sometimes?"
"I would if it wouldn't give my father a heart attack."
He stopped his work, rubbing his hands. "He doesn't have to know," he said slyly, his eyes glinting at the light flush that crossed her cheeks. "Come on, it's not like you play the good girl all the time. You need to get some air out there."
"Sometimes but not all the time," she admitted.
He chuckled, rubbing his chin. "Uh huh. Now I wonder what you get up to."
"Link," she said with warning.
He immediately clamped his mouth shut before he could get carried away. Malon told him there were plenty of hay outside and led him back to Epona where they began by feeding her first and then Link had to stroke her behind the ear.
It was important, according to Malon, that he learned which spots to scratch and needed to know to read his horse, knowing whether she was uncomfortable or not. A good owner should know everything about his mare.
It took nearly an hour with Epona running off on them. She still found Link's presence daunting. His patience was bending and twisting, creaking around the edges when he saw how long this was taking.
Malon didn't seem as bothered. To her, it was assurance. She whistled the horse over. "Take it easy, girl. Relax," she said soothingly, brushing the mane of the horse. "Let's try it again."
This was all so pointless. "Can't I just ride her now?"
"She'll buck you off," Malon warned. "And I'll find it pretty enjoyable too. If you don't want to make yourself look like a fool then you have to be patient."
I can't keep being patient! I need to get back to the village! He fumed. What was happening over there? What if Katie was already awake and looking for him? What if she didn't get Jen's message? What if she was going to the inn, making a terrible even fatal mistake of asking the innkeeper about him?
Link blinked when Malon waved her hand over his face, breaking him out from his trance. "Do you need some rest?" she asked, looking a bit concerned.
"I don't," he gritted.
"Just asking," she said lightly. "You look very worried."
"I don't want to talk about it." He eyed Epona and then tried to approach her gently. She didn't flinch like before but her head moved away a bit. Softly, he placed a hand on her muzzle, giving it a little rub but she shook his hand off, making a noise.
"Try moving to the left," Malon said.
He moved over to the side, right where her mane was brushed down. There were small spinning traces of the marks that her previous owners have left her. He ran a hand down the longest and deepest one. Malon watched him. If he saw her face, he'd see the contempt in her eyes, the blame. She would want nothing more than to scream at him, he bet.
He ignored her. This wasn't his doing. It wasn't his fault. But at the same time, his stomach twisted to see the silvery lines that criss-crossed across the horse's skin, awfully similar to his back. He put his hand on the side of her head, and got a better reaction. They kept it up at this point until Epona was settled down. Malon kept giving him carrots and Epona chewed through them. Then the big girl got bored and ran off.
"Well, I'd say you're improving," Malon said finally. "Not bad."
He looked at her carefully but she kept her expression neutral. The sky above them darkened as gloaming approached. He used his arm to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "What's for supper?"
"Porridge," she said, not bothering to hide her disgust. "Again."
"And when are you going to tell your old man that it tastes like shit?"
"Don't! He's real proud of it! Though I could go to bed without any supper…"
Link didn't really mind the odd soup, since he had a lot worse before. Tanlon and his other hired help ushered the sheep into the barn to close them up for the night.
"If you continue at this rate," Malon said, talking about Epona, "then you're sure to earn her trust again. But it will take time and patience. If you start to slip up, you might end up worse than in the beginning."
Link sighed. "I'll try."
"I'm sure you'll be friends with her in no time. Who knows?" Malon shrugged. "She might even come to adore you if you're nice."
Link glanced at her with his lips tugging at the corner. "Only her though?"
She frowned. "Really? You won't stop?"
"This isn't even new for you," he said with a snort. "I bet you had lots before me."
"And I find those type and your type to be very boring," she said as they made their way towards the cottage where Tanlon was no doubt making what he thought to be as the greatest soup ever.
Link placed his hands behind his head. "I'm not boring. You're saying that you were having a fun time doing chores before I came along?"
"At least the chores are normal. You aren't."
He placed a dramatic hand on his chest. "But I'm real soft on the inside! You're breaking my heart here!"
"You don't have a heart," she replied flatly.
"You took it while I was sleeping." He paused when she stopped to turn at him sharply. "Sorry, that just came out."
"Did it now?" she said dryly. "I haven't heard."
He tried not to look so desperate. "I can't help myself. I'm an idiot. Please don't make me sleep in the stable."
She gave him a long look, then turned to keep walking. "You're cleaning the dishes then."
Link breathed out. Close shave that. If this was going to take a while then he'd rather be comfortable for the ride.
o-o-o-o
Two days.
It took two more days until finally Malon said she could graduate Link by letting him ride Epona. Before that, he first learned how to groom his horse properly, brushing the mane of her hair, washing her again, putting on her hooves, saddling her up with bit and bridle and all the harness. He also had to lead her around by the rein so she could get used to him taking charge.
He didn't need a stool and swung up just like Malon would do. It had been a long time since he was on top of a horse again, but it made all his hard work pay off.
It wasn't easy to keep his patience for too long. Naturally, he had his outburst and it only came when Epona was being difficult. Malon tried to calm them both down, and sentenced him to go carry buckets of water back and forth from the well. At least she didn't let him sleep in the stable again.
Once more, after an hour later, Malon led the horse by the reins just as Link set down the last bucket. "Here's the thing about horses," Malon was telling him as they watched the sheep scatter across the green field. "People think that horses could gallop easily but that's like saying a Hylian could keep running and running for miles.
"Horses get tired. They get all sweaty and out of breath if you keep pushing them too hard. If you need to speed things up then do it only if its necessary, or you could gallop and slow down between the kicks. About kicks—some horses don't mind the tap of your boot but Epona's a different case. Be rough and she'll buck you off."
Link winced. "Trust me, I know that." The horse shifted a little to the side beneath him and he wobbled a little, feeling nervous.
Malon handed him the reins. "Well, good luck."
He gaped at her. "Wait, shouldn't I—"
The farmer slapped the horse from behind and Epona lurched forward, nearly tipping her rider off. Link clenched his teeth as he leaned forward with his hands tight on the reins like a lifeline. Wind rushed through him, his hair in a tangled mess around his head. Epona rounded the barn and then the cottage. Link remembered Malon's advice and tried to bring the horse right. She followed but then decided she want to do things her way and go left.
Link tried to get her to slow down a little. She didn't want to. And that's when he did his first mistake by being insistent and kicking her hard. The horse stopped, crying out and the world tripped over for him as he fell hard to the ground. It was a good thing she was fast or else he would've gave chase with his sword.
"Well, that was expected."
He turned and saw Malon with her hand shading her eyes as she looked over at Epona. The bitch looked proud of herself. "Before you start to shout at me, I wanted to see how you'd do with her galloping."
That's not it and you know it! He wanted to yell. You just don't want me to take her, you stupid bitch!
Somehow he was able to swallow all that down and ask sardonically, "Oh and how did I do, oh wise teacher?" His side sored, no doubt a bruise would swell.
"Not good. We'll have to work on it later in the afternoon. I have some chores I need to get done." She eyed the tunic that he wore, which was dirty thanks to her. "You'll want to change later. I'll leave a fresh pair of jumpers out for you."
When he wore back his tunic just the other day, he noticed that she expertly sewed up all the bits of holes, snipped away any of the thread that stuck out. In fact, the tunic looked as if he just bought it from the tailor. Seeing this talent, he decided to let her stitch up the red tunic. The girl was a bit surprised to see that he had other choice of color and agreed to help. Would it fix the thing up? Hopefully. He didn't have much option at hand.
Link went back to the barn to calm himself. He will not let her get a rise out of him. He will not let all his hard work go to waste. Tanlon was very eager to give him more work around the farm, away from the animals since Link could easily turn this farm into a slaughterhouse.
He went over to chop up some more firewood then refilled the water troughs, using none from the water cisterns and instead went up to and from the well. He kept himself busy but it was getting harder and harder to shake off this bad feeling. Worse, he was even starting to come up with excuses to go see Katie. If it came to that, he'll have to subject himself to another five hour hike, without a horse.
Leaving her alone for this long wasn't helping him with his work here. He won't be able to 'bond' with Epona with this much consternation riding on his back. With a heavy sigh, he picked up the pitchfork, shoving hay in the back so the sheep would get their rations tonight. Then he swept up the floor once more even though it was already clean.
I feel like a woman that's been divorced twice, he thought dumbly, knowing that he was working himself to the bones that it was even concerning Malon. Not her father. Nope. The man was more than thankful for the free help.
"Link, shouldn't you take a break?" she asked as he leaned the broom against the wall once he was finished. "You could take tomorrow off if you'd like."
Link went over to pick up another haystack. "I'd rather not." That was the another worst thing you could do to him—simply leave him with nothing to do. Desmera was so boring in the first couple weeks, just him cleaning up the streets from monsters, nothing else after that. He hated to sit still without a purpose.
Malon was talking but he wasn't listening. He thought of Katie again. He found himself doing that a little too much, more than he liked to admit. Hell, she might even be fine and he could be worrying over nothing.
But what if she wasn't fine? What the hell was he supposed to do if all this was for nothing? Should he just leave for Death Mountain like nothing ever happened?
"Umm, Link?"
Link paused, realizing he zoned out again. He grunted, lifting another haystack. If he kept doing that, then it'll affect his fight as well. What if he was under attacked now?
"What's wrong with you? You've been acting like that for a while. Did something happen?"
"It's nothing," he said dismissively. He was forced to stop when she placed a firm hand on his arm just as he was about to get another haystack.
"No, it's not nothing. You look worried all the time. If I'm keeping you from doing something important—"
"You kind of are."
She gave him a flat look. "I think the sheep can go a night without the extra hay." Her eyes softened. "What's wrong? Why can't you let yourself relax? You look so stressed out."
He sighed, brushing her hand off him. "I just have a lot in mind right now."
"Are you worried you're not getting anywhere with Epona? Because you're making good progress," she said quickly.
"It's not that…"
"What is it? Tell me."
Dammit, did she have to be so annoying? But she didn't look like she planned to leave him alone.
"It's…about my friend," he explained, feeling awkward. He reached down for the haystack. She didn't stop him this time. "She's the one who wanted Epona back so bad, even when I wanted to buy another damn horse."
"And you're friend…" Malon hesitated as if now she realized this was a personal matter.
"She's sick," he said which was about the best explanation he could give. "I had to leave her in Dethel for a while. I figured getting Epona back would make her feel better. I don't know how she is right now…" He trailed off when he saw horror in Malon's face. "What?"
"What do you mean 'what'?" she said bitingly. "Are you saying that you stayed well over four days with us without knowing how she is? Without sending her a letter through one of the merchants?"
Link rubbed his face. "Believe me, it's a lot complicated than you think."
"She must be worried sick about you! And here you are worrying over her!" She looked at him as if he had committed a most heinous crime. "By Din, Link, you have any idea how bad things are getting out there? So many people are dying right now. The merchants that come in here, there isn't any of them that didn't lose a family member. Did you really just leave your friend behind?"
He dropped down the haystack. "I wanted to get Epona back!" he shot. "And I didn't just leave her. I got her help."
But how good was that help? How good were fairies at healing?
"Go to her," Malon said. "Now."
He gaped. "But she needs Epona!"
"No, she needs you. Don't worry about your horse." Malon raised her hand to stop his protest. "You can come back and we'll pick off where we left. She won't forget about you. You just go and see your friend."
"I'm bad with directions though," he said, dreading the next five hours, the heat, the confusion of the map.
"There's a merchant my father is dealing with here. I'm sure you two can arrange something." She was already grabbing his things, shoving them to his chest and pushing him out the door, ignoring his complains. The merchant was nearly on his way before Malon stopped him.
Tanlon was a little dismayed to see Link go, since nobody would do all the chores for free. Link ignored him, overwhelmed, and with Malon pressing on him, he came to an agreement with the merchant for guidance in exchange for protection. It all happened so fast that he didn't think he was actually leaving until him and the merchant were on their way.
Malon had given him some food before he went out, and, of course, some bottles of milk to go with him.
I swear these people have milk running their veins, he thought, not that he was complaining. This was the best milk he ever drank; cold, fresh, soothing. She promised him that she would work on his red tunic, and he'd been especially nervous to leave that particular item behind. It's been stolen once before and it can very well happen again, but Malon gave him her word that she will look after it.
Both him and the middle-aged silk merchant, Abe, could see the farm in the distance with Malon riding Epona with ease. The girl galloped the horse, red hair flowing behind her.
"Beautiful horse, that," Abe said. "Love to have one like her."
Link, restless to reach Katie, nodded absent-mindedly. "Yeah, me too."