Chapter Four:
The old cart jounced and creaked fitfully as it rumbled along the soft ground of the field. It had rained lightly that night and the dirt had turned to mud in some places, making travel harder. Megeara yawned loudly and stretched herself out in the back of the wagon, closing her eyes and trying not to let the shaking of their movement sway her desire to nap. True, it had been a long night for all of them sleeping on the thin straw on the ground of the woodcutter's cabin. Link's lower back ached and he tried to stretch it out, but his muscles complained as he relaxed again and he just accepted it.
Orion and Kiehs rode up front on the bench. Their two horses, Link thought he heard Orion call them 'Vandac' and 'Camhal', were even darker than Loraefin's horse, Balius. They seemed to be the same color as the shadows. Kiehs and Orion were talking in low voices between themselves, and above the sounds of the wagon and Lolita and Loraefin's conversation, Link could not hear what they were saying. Though he did acknowledge that it was none of his business and they had been kind enough to give them a ride to town so he shouldn't even be attempting to eavesdrop. The sun had come out from behind the clouds and the warm winter sun shone on Link's face brightly as they all settled in for the long ride ahead.
Kiehs looked over his shoulder to watch their passengers. He eyed them all carefully and waited until he was sure they would not pay attention to his conversation before returning forward and leaning towards Orion.
"What do you make of this?" He whispered. The blond hair of his head fell over one eye, which he carelessly let hang there for the moment. "The Hero of Time and the one the Council spoke of." Orion nodded solemnly in reply but kept forward.
"It is a sign from the Goddesses for sure," he said lowly. "Now I am certain that our duty here was not a false one. The Eldest Sheikah were right after all."
"It appears so," Kiehs sighed uneasily. "And even then, they are traveling in the company of the evil one's bloodline, the red headed one. He does not know yet does he?"
"No, and that is not for us to tell," the elder man added quickly in a hoarse murmur. "Let the future handle itself Sheik, we are only here to guide it along its path." Quickly, the young man quieted and did not speak any further.
***
They reached as far as Lon Lon Ranch by mid-afternoon, and this is where they parted. Orion apologized for not being able to take them the whole way, but here was the crossroad to Kakariko, which was where they were heading. Link and the others understood and thanked them kindly for taking them as far as they did. It was a brief pause before the wagon was gone again down the road.
"Look at all of this Fin! It's amazing!" Megeara panted from running up the hill over looking Hyrule Castle Town. "I've always wanted to see this, and now I can't believe I'm standing here!"
"After an entire life of living in Murieope, anything looks amazing," Lolita smirked. "But still, it is breathtaking."
"We're going to go down there, right Link?" Megeara asked, eyes bright.
"Eventually," said he, "but first we're going to see my friend Malon at the ranch here." Link pointed over his shoulder in the direction. "She can show you guys around the ranch while I go and fetch up Navi on Epona. Poor Nav is probably wondering where the hell I am," he laughed.
"I've always wanted to meet this Malon of yours Link," Loraefin said excitedly. "She won't mind putting up with us for an hour or so?" Link shook his head and laughed.
"No, Malon loves company, don't be silly."
Talon and Ingo had left for the day to attend to some business in town, so Malon had the run of the place for the day. She had been expecting everything to be quiet and boring that day, but low and behold, there came Link with three girls out to the coral where she was trying to feed Eady, the newest colt, an apple she had cut up for her. She smiled brightly but held out her hand warningly for them not to come any closer. Slowly, Eady nudged toward the apple and gently nipped it out of Malon's open hand. The colt whinnied when Malon tried to reach out and stroke her and pranced away out of reach. Malon sighed and rolled her eyes tiredly.
"Oh well, maybe tomorrow," she said and straightened up from her stooping position. What had Link brought with him today?
Link made the introductions between everyone and Malon invited them all inside for lunch. Of course, he had not told Malon the entire truth…so he had told her that they worked for Kanaro Ranch over to the west and he had happened to be asked to escort them to Lon Lon. Malon said she had never heard of that ranch before. Loraefin glanced evilly at Link for not giving them a warning about a fabricated alias. The afternoon went pleasantly and Malon was thankful for the company. She showed them around the ranch and the horses, making sure to point out the things of interest on how Lon Lon operated. As representative of her ranch, which was her business and home, Malon was sure to give a good impression. Who knows? Perhaps they had good sires that Lon Lon could use for their mares or vise versa. The day wore on so quickly that no time seemed to pass at all between Link's going and coming back from Kokiri to get Navi. They left shortly after his return.
The old cart jounced and creaked fitfully as it rumbled along the soft ground of the field. It had rained lightly that night and the dirt had turned to mud in some places, making travel harder. Megeara yawned loudly and stretched herself out in the back of the wagon, closing her eyes and trying not to let the shaking of their movement sway her desire to nap. True, it had been a long night for all of them sleeping on the thin straw on the ground of the woodcutter's cabin. Link's lower back ached and he tried to stretch it out, but his muscles complained as he relaxed again and he just accepted it.
Orion and Kiehs rode up front on the bench. Their two horses, Link thought he heard Orion call them 'Vandac' and 'Camhal', were even darker than Loraefin's horse, Balius. They seemed to be the same color as the shadows. Kiehs and Orion were talking in low voices between themselves, and above the sounds of the wagon and Lolita and Loraefin's conversation, Link could not hear what they were saying. Though he did acknowledge that it was none of his business and they had been kind enough to give them a ride to town so he shouldn't even be attempting to eavesdrop. The sun had come out from behind the clouds and the warm winter sun shone on Link's face brightly as they all settled in for the long ride ahead.
Kiehs looked over his shoulder to watch their passengers. He eyed them all carefully and waited until he was sure they would not pay attention to his conversation before returning forward and leaning towards Orion.
"What do you make of this?" He whispered. The blond hair of his head fell over one eye, which he carelessly let hang there for the moment. "The Hero of Time and the one the Council spoke of." Orion nodded solemnly in reply but kept forward.
"It is a sign from the Goddesses for sure," he said lowly. "Now I am certain that our duty here was not a false one. The Eldest Sheikah were right after all."
"It appears so," Kiehs sighed uneasily. "And even then, they are traveling in the company of the evil one's bloodline, the red headed one. He does not know yet does he?"
"No, and that is not for us to tell," the elder man added quickly in a hoarse murmur. "Let the future handle itself Sheik, we are only here to guide it along its path." Quickly, the young man quieted and did not speak any further.
***
They reached as far as Lon Lon Ranch by mid-afternoon, and this is where they parted. Orion apologized for not being able to take them the whole way, but here was the crossroad to Kakariko, which was where they were heading. Link and the others understood and thanked them kindly for taking them as far as they did. It was a brief pause before the wagon was gone again down the road.
"Look at all of this Fin! It's amazing!" Megeara panted from running up the hill over looking Hyrule Castle Town. "I've always wanted to see this, and now I can't believe I'm standing here!"
"After an entire life of living in Murieope, anything looks amazing," Lolita smirked. "But still, it is breathtaking."
"We're going to go down there, right Link?" Megeara asked, eyes bright.
"Eventually," said he, "but first we're going to see my friend Malon at the ranch here." Link pointed over his shoulder in the direction. "She can show you guys around the ranch while I go and fetch up Navi on Epona. Poor Nav is probably wondering where the hell I am," he laughed.
"I've always wanted to meet this Malon of yours Link," Loraefin said excitedly. "She won't mind putting up with us for an hour or so?" Link shook his head and laughed.
"No, Malon loves company, don't be silly."
Talon and Ingo had left for the day to attend to some business in town, so Malon had the run of the place for the day. She had been expecting everything to be quiet and boring that day, but low and behold, there came Link with three girls out to the coral where she was trying to feed Eady, the newest colt, an apple she had cut up for her. She smiled brightly but held out her hand warningly for them not to come any closer. Slowly, Eady nudged toward the apple and gently nipped it out of Malon's open hand. The colt whinnied when Malon tried to reach out and stroke her and pranced away out of reach. Malon sighed and rolled her eyes tiredly.
"Oh well, maybe tomorrow," she said and straightened up from her stooping position. What had Link brought with him today?
Link made the introductions between everyone and Malon invited them all inside for lunch. Of course, he had not told Malon the entire truth…so he had told her that they worked for Kanaro Ranch over to the west and he had happened to be asked to escort them to Lon Lon. Malon said she had never heard of that ranch before. Loraefin glanced evilly at Link for not giving them a warning about a fabricated alias. The afternoon went pleasantly and Malon was thankful for the company. She showed them around the ranch and the horses, making sure to point out the things of interest on how Lon Lon operated. As representative of her ranch, which was her business and home, Malon was sure to give a good impression. Who knows? Perhaps they had good sires that Lon Lon could use for their mares or vise versa. The day wore on so quickly that no time seemed to pass at all between Link's going and coming back from Kokiri to get Navi. They left shortly after his return.