"NO!"
Oltin jumped as Link jerked up, yelling. The guard dropped his spear and held the young man's shoulders.
"Stop yelling, you were dreaming!"
Link panted and stared at the wall. Looking back to the guard he smiled weakly in apology.
"You don't remember me, do you?" Oltin asked, curious.
Link looked at the man's face again. Through the helmet it was impossible to see above the mouth.
"I..." he cleared his throat, "I can't see you."
Oltin yanked off his helmet. Link's eyes widened in recognition.
"A long time ago... I sold you a mask for your son... a Keaton mask..."
Oltin grinned, "you do remember!" he slapped Link on the back, not too hard, "Mr. Hero indeed!"
Link smiled. It was good to see a familiar face from so long ago.
"How's your son now?"
Oltin shrugged, "only Nayru knows, now. He'd be sixteen, though."
"I'm sorry..."there was a long silence, "can I ask..."
"How he died?"
Link nodded.
Oltin sighed. He was used to people asking, "house burned six years ago. I was fighting at the castle, my wife and he were at home..."
Link searched fo something to say, "shit..." he settled on.
Oltin laughed, "got a soldier's vocabulary, have you? Yeah, well... it was six years ago. I'm moving on. Well," he added, "moving on as much as I can, knowing my days are limited."
"Why say that?"
Oltin was surprised the Hero had to ask. Most people just accept it.
"I was one of the ones that lived. Gannondorf..." he realized his mistake, "Gannon has a score to settle with me, no matter how small. And if he doesn't kill me..." his voice trailed off.
Link waited, then said quietly, "yes?"
"Pick a Gerudo. I'll probably die in battle, if nothing else. I'm past my fighting prime, so I'm at a disadvantage."
Link thought about this. The man looked about forty-six. A teenaged Gerudo could kill him without touching him.
"So why stay here? Why not leave for some other land, go over the sea?"
Oltin shook his head, smiling, "no, I'm going to die at home, in Hyrule."
Link watched as the other man picked up his spear, replaced his helmet, and left to guard the door.
The Hero of Time put his head back on the pillow.
If I could leave, would I?
No.
The answer came surprisingly sharp in his head.
Because Zelda is here.
Zelda...
Link realized how smart the guard was. He had used his own pain to make Link forget the dream. Even just for a little while. And it had worked. But Link still had questions. As he drifted back to sleep, they melded together.
The guard's name... my name... Hero... where's Zelda?...Navi... in the same place? Gannon... has he killed her? Which her? Both... sleep... no, but...
Din's command forced itself in.
Sleep.
