A red form streaked over green, blurred by rain and distance. Beryl watched as they moved swiftly across the field, swung in a wide arc south, then disappeared amongst the trees. She glanced up at the clouds, dark grey and low in the sky, then shook her head. What kind of a nut purposely went out to get drenched in the rain? Pulling on rubber boots and grabbing an umbrella, she headed out the back door.
It wasn't exactly a torrential downpour, but the rain fell steadily and a light wind rustled the leaves of the trees scattered across the yard as Beryl made her way down to the field. By the time she arrived, Epona was prancing along the fenceline, tossing her head in her excitement. Apparently, the run hadn't tired her out at all. On her back, Link wasn't even using a saddle, yet seemed unconcerned by Epona's barely contained energy. He was soaking wet, but the smile he wore showed that he shared his horse's high spirits.
"You're back," he said, halting Epona in front of Beryl and jumping down. The mare pawed the ground with a front hoof and blew loudly through her nostrils, but she stayed put.
Beryl tilted her umbrella back so she could look up at him, but couldn't quite meet his eyes. In the dim light, they almost seemed to glow, and it was a little unnerving. She looked out at the rain-soaked land instead.
"What in the world are you doing out here?" she asked, frowning.
"Epona loves to run in this kind of weather, and so do I," Link answered, stroking the mare's neck. She bobbed her head and her front legs danced, but still she didn't move from her place.
"Well," Beryl said, crossing her arms as best she could while holding the umbrella, "I think you're crazy, getting drenched like that and freezing to death."
At first, he said nothing, staring off into the distance. After a moment of silence, during which the rain began to pour down harder, he turned to look at her. "Why not try it for yourself, before you decide you don't like it."
Beryl wasn't sure she had heard right. "Uh, excuse me? No way am I doing anything that dangerous."
"You won't fall. Even if you were to, I have something that will keep you from getting hurt."
She shook her head, stepping back from the fence. "No. Not happening. Uh-uh."
Up on Epona's back, clinging to her mane, it didn't take long for Beryl to be soaked to the skin. "Are you sure this is safe?" she asked nervously, glancing at the supposedly magical ring she now had on. It was hard to believe it could guard a person against injury if they fell from a great height or high speed...it seemed a conveniently specific effect...but...
For a moment, Link just looked at her with an unreadable expression. Then he smiled gently, and nodded. "I promise, nothing will happen to you."
"Okay..." she said, trying to keep her teeth from chattering, though it wasn't from cold. "What do I d-"
Before she could finish her sentence, he had hopped up behind her. She hadn't expected that, but there was no time to protest as Epona wheeled on her haunches and launched into a gallop. It happened so suddenly that Beryl was thrown off balance. She would have found out if the ring worked then and there, were it not for the fact that Link had reached around her on either side in order to hold onto Epona's mane. She let out a squeak that was lost in the wind and thundering of hooves, but managed to right herself. The instant she had, Epona ran faster. Beryl hadn't imagined that she possessed such speed. Link learned forward into the gallop, so she had no choice but to do the same. She squinted against the rain pelting her face, though it was not exactly the the first thing on her mind. No, that would have to be how she could clearly feel his chest pressed against her back and his arms tight against her, preventing her from slipping again.
Suddenly, a flash of lightning flared in the clouds, briefly illuminating the dim, misty landscape. Beryl stiffened, feeling her heart skip a beat, but Epona continued to run, surging forward over the soaked earth without hesitation. Beryl wasn't sure if Link was really guiding her or if she was running wild, but already they had reached the forest and were moving along the tree line. A roll of thunder followed seconds after the flicker of lightning. She should have been terrified, yet somehow she felt safe.
Epona swung in a wide curve back toward home, her pace finally beginning to slacken. By the time they reached the fence once again, she had slowed to a prancing trot, arching her neck and tossing her head, but she seemed willing to stop. Almost before she had, Link slid off her back to the ground and looked up at Beryl, again wearing that expression she couldn't quite name. Solemn, questioning, contemplative... What was he thinking?
Another rumble of thunder filled the air. Beryl tried to think of something, anything, to say, still sitting there as the rain continued to pour down around them. Before she could, he smiled and asked, "Do you still feel the same way?"
She pretended to consider it. Sopping wet and spattered with mud, she should have been miserable, yet she felt happier than she had in a long time. The wild ride was part of it. However...she could never say so aloud, but to herself, she admitted that the greater reason was how she felt while he had held her close.
Her cheeks heated as she thought of it and she looked out over the field, hoping he wouldn't notice. The already dim light was fading as evening fell. Mist drifted through the trees. She breathed the scents of rain and wet grass and thought it incredible how she had never before noticed the beauty of the land viewed through the rain's silvery veil.
When she thought she could trust her voice, she turned to Link, waiting patiently for an answer, and smiled shyly. "No."
A.N.: Just a little scene from a story I was writing some years ago but never finished. If you didn't read it...well, consider yourself fortunate. It wasn't very good. I was inspired to do this much, however. So there it is. Still may not be very good, but I enjoyed writing it, anyway. :)
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