Disclaimers are in Ch. 1
Ch. 5
"Oh, you can't help that," said the Cat: "we're all mad
here. I'm mad. You're mad."
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."
-Lewis Carroll
Dawn found them at the gates of the town. Link was perched on the side of the water channel, and Delka was grazing slowly in the dew sodden grass. Link was slightly sore from the all-night ride, and he knew that poor Delka had to be worse off, as he was too old for this kind of thing. Link waited patiently for the morning watch to lower the gate. After they had finished, one came out and approached him curiously.
"Morning," The soldier said. Link nodded back, and went to catch Delka's reins. The soldier watched him as he carefully led the weary horse up the drawbridge.
"Tired old beast," The soldier continued, following after him.
Link nodded again, before stopping. "I need to have someone return him to Lon Lon Ranch."
"Lon Lon?" The soldier asked. "Thought so, he has the look of a race horse. Fine, I'll have someone along to take him." Link handed the reins over, and gave Delka a final affectionate pant on the nose, before continuing into town.
Several traders along with travelers were coming in also, and he filled his time by watching them. Early morning merchants and shopkeepers were already setting up shop and even a few shoppers were out and about. Link passed several small children playing in the town square, and his thoughts turned to the Kokiri who he had been raised among. Had the child-like Hylian running towards him in the corral been a Kokiri? If so, it would make a little more sense to him. If it were some kind of strange memory flashback, then at least he would have a source for this one.
Again he passed the Bazaar, and now he paused once more. Through a window, he could see the enormous shopkeeper setting up for the day. Shaking his head to clear thoughts of the Hylian shield, he went on, passing several more buildings before he came to the short road to the temple. The Temple of Time was the largest of its kind in the land. It had been built many years ago, shortly after the land of Hyrule had been united under one king. It stood for peace and unity.
Link walked through the gardens that were cared for by the priests, and met several young people strolling through as well. He came to the foot of the Temple stairs, and craned his neck up to see it. The last time he had been here was when he was a child. He had been wandering around until a storm hit, and had come in to seek shelter from the rain, as no one else would let a wandering wretch like himself in. He could still remember the deep feeling of awe, as the chanting voices from what seemed like above filled his ears and mind.
Shaking his head again to clear the stray thoughts, he climbed the stairs slowly, and pulled open the heavy wooden door.
Although the memory was still sharp in his mind, he did not fail to be surprised at the deep, harmonious chanting that seemed to come from the ceiling and walls. As reverently as the situation would allow, he stepped inside onto a plush red carpet, and followed it through a corridor.
Untouched by time or chaos...
The thought came to him suddenly, but he didn't let it surprise him. It wasn't an unusual thought, after all. Somewhere, in fact, it was probably said, or written, and so he must have heard or read it at least once. Relieved that he had yet another answer to the strange riddle that was developing in his mind, he stepped into the main room of the temple, and stopped dead in his tracks.
It seemed even larger on the inside. The room was enormous, stretching up high above his head to a arched ceiling. Sunlight poured in through stained glass windows, creating colorful designs on the white marble floor. The plush carpet stretched on, until it met with a large stone pedestal of some kind. The whole atmosphere was deep and reverent, and he felt himself relax.
Link walked further in, and looked around. The temple was empty aside from himself, though, and he decided to wait for the priests' return. He walked up to the stone pedestal, and ran his hands over the three fist-sized depressions in it. The inscription on the front was old, and obviously of some importance. He knelt to read:
Ye who owns 3 Spiritual Stones
Stand with the Ocarina of Time
And play the Song of Time
Link stood up quickly, and felt a chill down his spine. Relax, he told himself. It was talking about some long ago legend, that was all. He had never heard of any spiritual stones, and there was probably some ocarina relic that bore the name 'Ocarina of Time'. He gave himself a mental shake to calm his nerves, and then turned away to take a seat on the steps leading up past the pedestal. There was nothing there, but a great stone wall, which was carved with many designs that he quickly grew bored with. He rested his arms on his knees, and waited for the priests return.
*************
The sun was just setting as Link let the heavy temple door slide shut. He was frustrated and perplexed. Where were the priests? He'd waited all day. He sighed, and walked back through the gardens and down the road back to the town. Here, the last of the shoppers were making rounds, and several merchants were closing up shop.
His plight was getting more and more hopeless now. He hadn't come prepared with rupees, and now looked forward to an uncomfortable night out in the fields. It brought back memories of his childhood when he had done such a thing more than once, and he forcefully pushed the thought away.
The night watch at the town's front gate gave him a dubious look, but Link paid him no heed, and walked out over the drawbridge before it started to lift. Out in the fields again, he began to walk aimlessly, oblivious to the beautiful sunset. The tall weeds swayed around his legs, and he ignored the faint itch of the saw grass.
His brooding was cut short though, as in the distance, he heard the unmistakable echo of hooves, racing across the ground. He looked up and around, and saw the shadow of what looked to be a horse, galloping around a grassy knoll in his direction.
At first, Link thought it was another apparition, come to haunt him, but soon, the form was unmistakable. The last rays of the sun reflected off of the rich, deep-golden coat of the Epona, her cream colored mane flowing wildly in the wind. She was riderless, and without saddle, or tack. The wild-looking young horse raced across the high grasses, and upon seeing him, slowed from a gallop to a trot. Her coat was soaked in sweat from the full-pace running, and her sides heaved. Link ran to her, and touched a hand to her neck to ground himself. This was real!
Leading her as best he could without a line or equipment, he took her down to the water channel that flowed outside of the high walls of the town. She drank deeply for several minutes, and then brought her head up with a shake and a snort.
"What happened?" He said to no one in particular, as she was not about to speak. Epona turned towards him and knickered, nudging him in the side. He gently rubbed the sweat-soaked mane, and tried to think.
If Epona was here, like this, then something must have spooked her to run such a long way. Since no one had come looking for her up till now, Link started to wonder. What had happened? He was worried, but there was nothing to be done now. Epona was too exhausted to make the trip back now, and he was not fast enough on foot. The best he could do was wait it out until morning, when he would make a early start back towards the ranch.
He tried coaxing Epona to follow him with simple signals and commands, and was both surprised and pleased when she followed willingly. He led her past the water channel and over a bridge to the east of the town, where he found a tall tree to rest under. Laying in-between the thick roots of the tree, he situated himself and his meager supplies to sleep, wondering what the morning would bring.
*************
The rising sun did not wake him under the shaded branches of the tree, nor did the far away crowing of someone's cuckoo. Instead, it was Epona who ducked under the low limbs of the tree, and began to nibble at his hair. Link came reeling out of sleep at the strange sensation, and woke to find the horse's face inches from his own.
It startled him slightly, until the events of the day before came back to him, and he stood up and stretched his stiff body. He looked towards the sun rising over distant mountain peaks, and looked to Epona with a fresh determination.
"What about it, Epona?" He said, catching the horse's attention with her name. "Are you ready to carry me back to the ranch?" This was no easy task. Link had never ridden Epona before, although she was not a wild or unbroken horse. She was finicky, and had only let Malon ride her every once in a while around the corral track. Now, Link trailed a hand through her thick mane, and tried to meet her eyes. She danced away from him, and stood, watching him from a distance.
Suddenly, Link felt a strange pull between himself and the horse, and she too must have felt it, for she suddenly turned to peer at him. They stood in a deep taboo for several seconds, before she finally came slowly over to him, and stood by him at the ready. Link felt a deep gratitude for the horse, and tangled one hand through her mane, resting the other on her broad back. He set one foot against the tree, and launched himself up and onto her back. It was strange to ride bareback, but he held on tightly as she moved around a bit to get used to his weight.
Finally, Epona stilled, and Link leaned forward to pat her neck affectionately. "Good girl," he murmured, feeling an uncanny gratitude for the acceptance. "Good girl."
He tapped his heels lightly against her sides, and she was off, galloping full-paced back across the bridge. The air whistled keenly around his ears, and he lived for the sensation. It was natural to him, this speed, this power. It was as if he was made to ride this horse, and she to carry him. They flew across the long-stretching fields, and Link held on tightly, leaning forward as far as possible until it seemed as though they were one, one strong force, sweeping across a sea of waving grass.
*************
They made good timing, and the gates of the ranch came into view long before the sun started to set. He slowed Epona from a run to a gallop, and then a trot, as he circled the high fence of the ranch. As they rounded back to come to the open gate of the ranch, Link dismounted, stepping back from the horse.
Epona gave a low knicker, and nudged him in the side again. He patted her nose affectionately. "Stay here, Epona," He whispered, hoping the horse would somehow understand. He turned and entered the high gates, closing them gently behind him. He walked slowly around the bend, dreading what he might find. To his surprise, all seemed well, and he advanced with caution to the barn. Opening the door very slowly, he edged inside, and looked around. All of the horses were out of their stalls, and only old Bessa munched away unworriedly in her stall. Link stepped out again, and walked along the side of the barn. He looked towards the house and saw no lights in the windows, or smoke in the chimney.
Where was everyone?
Rounding the barn cautiously, he looked out into the corral, and suddenly understood.
All of the Lon Lon Ranch horses were out in the corral, tide together at the gate. Rascal, for once, was not fighting to get away, but stood unhappily along with the others. There were five people standing out in the center of the corral, and he recognized Malon, Talon, and Ingo in the dying light. The other two were bigger, rougher looking Hylians, and they stood arrogantly in front of the three ranch workers.
Link's eyes narrowed, and he ducked around the corner, sneaking along the fence towards the feed cellar. He kept his eyes on the two Hylian men, but neither looked in his direction. He slipped inside the feed cellar, and hushed the cow's greeting. The cow gave an indignant huff, and went back to munching on the overturned oats. Link opened the door a crack now, and peered through to assess the seen.
From here, he could tell that all three of the ranchers were tied up tightly, and had obviously been made to stand for quite a while, for they swayed painfully as the men laughed to themselves, and went through goods they had obviously picked up in the barn.
Thieves! Link flexed his hands angrily, and looked around quickly, his eyes rested on a broken old pitchfork leaning against the far wall. Just as his hand closed around it, he thought of something else, and left it where it rested. Exiting the building in a crouch, he darted along the fence again, towards the house. Once he reached it, he quickly went inside, and took the stairs in a run.
The room upstairs was Talon's and Malon's, and was already unkempt and trashed where the two men had obviously gone through it. He gritted his teeth, and began to go through the overturned furniture, hoping against hope that they hadn't found the secret compartment in the floor. Kneeling down, he felt along the wooden floorboards until his hand rested on one that was darker and out of place. He pushed down on one side of it, and it lifted slightly, enough for him to reach another hand under it and lift it.
He put the board aside carefully, and peered down into the dark cache. There, in the weak sunlight that was coming through the shuttered window, he could make out the dull gleam of a blade.
His heart raced, and he stuck a hand down to feel for the hilt. It was dusty and rough to the touch, but his fingers wrapped around it, and he pulled the sword free from the cobwebs surrounding it. It was heavy to his untried hands, but he relished the feeling as the weapon righted itself in his grip. He brought his left hand around, and spent a moment clasping it. It was natural, just as the shield was. He shook his head in frustration, and left the room at a race, taking the stairs three at a time.
Outside again, he was suddenly aware of everything. The cool evening wind blowing gently from the south, ruffling his hair and tunic. The now setting sun casting a deep red-orange glow on everything, and his own shadow lengthening to stretch out across the worn grass. There was no sound apart from the faint song of a late bird, and all seemed peaceful for the moment.
He felt no fear, no trepidation, as he walked calmly out into the open. The men still didn't see him, and would not notice him until he was at the corral gate. Then, they turned quickly, alarmed that they had missed this strong looking young man with the sword. Talon, Malon, and Ingo also turned to look, and Malon gave a cry of fear.
"Link, watch out, they're armed!"
They were indeed, as the closest thief brandished a wicked looking long-knife, and started towards him. The thief grinned maliciously, and waved the blade in the inexpert way of one who is not used to one-on-one combat.
Link still felt no fear, where he knew he should have. Here were two armed men, carrying deadly blades. Instead, he suddenly came in a run, and held the old rusty sword in two hands, slashing it around in the empty air in a deadly show. The man took a step back in slight fear, until the other thief egged him on.
"Come on, damn you! He's just a country boy!"
The man with the long-knife nodded, and licked his lips nervously. He held the blade out in his right hand at an angle, and Link felt suddenly confident that he really wasn't sure of how to use it properly.
Link leapt in again fearlessly, and energetically swung the blade at his enemy. The thief escaped being slashed across the midsection by a hairsbreadth, and stumbled back, tripping over his own feet to fall. He dropped the blade and cringed. Like all bullies, when faced with one more courageous than he, his false bravado crumpled, and he was afraid. The other thief swore viciously, and drew his own long-knife. He advanced over his fallen partner, giving the man a kick in the side as he did.
"Coward!" He sneered, and turned his eyes to Link. "Come on, boy," He coaxed. "Let's see if you know how to use that thing." They circled each other cautiously, both sizing up their opponent.
Link instinctively knew that this man had at least a little experience. Enough though, since Link had never handled a weapon in his life... Or had he? There was a naturalness to it, and a confidence that couldn't have come falsely, for it hadn't failed him yet. But swinging a blade at someone was far different than actually knowing how to use it, and now he would have to be careful.
The thief made the first move, coming in with a slash and parry move that Link barely guarded, stumbling back clumsily. He cursed himself, and gritted his teeth, resituating the hilt in his now slightly-numbed hands. The thief grinned, and tossed his knife from hand to hand, and Link suddenly saw a weakness.
Of course! His eyes narrowed. The worst weakness of them all: confidence. If he could only make the thief think that he was even less skilled than he was, then it gave him a chance to go for any opening that the man offered in arrogance. With a new tactic in mind, he set about throwing clumsy moves at the thief, swinging around even more recklessly, but being careful not to get too close. Several times, he fell in though, and received a few slashes in his tunic for his sluggishness, and one met his skin. He grunted in surprise at the pain, for suddenly it brought a burning feeling across his whole body, and he tingled with energy.
The thief, not noticing any of this, leapt from foot to foot in front of him, feeling very confident indeed. Here was a stubborn fool of a farm boy, trying to defend his family. He obviously had never touched a blade in his life, and was easy pickings. He lowered his guard in a foolish move, taunting the boy again. It was not only foolish, but devastating, and he paid for it quickly, as suddenly, Link seemed to come alive, and fell upon him with slashes that bit deeply into his upheld arms. He tried to parry with the knife, but soon could not take the pressure of the onslaught, and fell to his knees, dropping the blade.
"Mercy!" He sobbed in fear and pain, holding his arms over his head and ducking to shove his face into the flattened earth.
Link stopped himself abruptly, sword raised above his head in a deadly arc. He lurched forward several feet, and turned to the silently watching ranchers. Slowly, he stumbled towards them, using the suddenly too-heavy sword in his arms to clumsily saw through the ropes that bound them.
As they loosened the ropes from their stiff bodies, Link took a few more steps towards the prostate thieves, and crumbled to the ground, his body suddenly drained of any energy. The last thing he saw before the world faded to darkness were the remaining rays of the sun, bathing the ground in splashes of what looked familiarly like blood.
*************
Link woke to the sensation of a cool, damp cloth against his forehead. He opened his eyes to see a worried looking Malon sitting on the edge of his old cot. He tried to rise, but she pushed him forcefully back down.
"No, not this time, Link. You gave us quite a scare." She leaned back and let him at least sit up slightly against his pillow. Talon came over and brought an upturned bucket to sit on, and Ingo hovered nearby, pretending to be busy.
"Howdy," Talon said, his brows furrowed. "Wanna tell us what that was all about? Tarnations, Link. I knew you was tough, but I didn't know you was that tough!" Beside his cot rested the rusty old sword, and Link turned away uneasily. He accepted a small beaker of fresh water, and sipped it slowly. After a moment, he put it down, and turned to them both.
"I think I at least owe you an explanation..." A thought suddenly occurred to him. "Where is Epona? Is she all right?" He started to sit up again, but this time it was Talon who pushed him back down.
"Don't worry about that stubborn critter. She's all right. Now, go on with what ya were sayin'."
Link nodded, and began.
The only thing he left out was, again, the weeping in the dreams, and also his visit to the castle in the night. He felt neither had any real meaning, and were not worth mentioning. When he was done, Talon sat back, and scratched his bearded chin thoughtfully.
"Suspicious," The Ranch keeper finally said. "That's what it is. Seems ta me like ya might be in the right about seeing them priests."
"I tried," Link said, "But they were gone. I waited the entire day, and they never appeared. I wonder where they went?"
"Retreat," Malon said quietly, and they both turned to her in surprise. She shrugged. "I listen in on town gossip occasionally, and it seems that they officially go on retreat every couple of months for something or another."
"Mighty inconvenient of them," Talon muttered. Link sighed, and rested his head back against the pillow. He was even farther away from finding out any answers than when he had begun. Now it seemed like he would never understand what was going on. Malon leaned forward though, and grasped his hand.
"Link, don't give up! Think about it... did anything else happen? Anything else at all?"
He looked up to see a suspicious gleam in her eyes, and suddenly felt embarrassed again. She sat up straight.
"I knew it! You went to see the princess, didn't you!" She smiled triumphantly. "I thought you had, but I wasn't really sure, you see."
Talon looked surprised. "The princess? Of Hyrule? Sake's alive, boy! Why didn't ya say so!"
Link rubbed his face to cover the embarrassment at being caught, and sat up a little more. "I didn't think it mattered," He defended. "She just suggested seeing the priests."
"Just suggested?" Malon said in aggravation. "The fact alone that she listened to your problems and made a suggestion like that is very important! Did she say anything else?"
Link recalled the visit, and nodded. "Well, she kept getting this strange tone in her voice when she asked me things, as though she was being very careful..." He trailed off, and felt a sudden suspicion. Why would Zelda tell him to see the priests if they had officially gone on retreat? Talon slapped his knee in sudden determination, and started to rise.
"Then by jovey, that's where we're needin' ta go!"
"Whoa," Link said, holding out a hand to stop him. "This isn't your problem, Talon, or yours Malon. Its my fault that all of this is happening, and I have to take the responsibility alone."
"Yer fault?" Talon boomed. "Now listen here, Link. Yer like family ta me and my young filly here, and ta Ingo too, though the stubborn horse won't admit it." Talon always spoke of people he regarded fondly as equines. "And we ain't gonna let you handle this mess on yer own!"
Link leaned forward, and grasped his hand. "And I thank you for all of the kindness you have shown me Talon, but this is something I must do alone. I feel it might be too dangerous of a journey, and I would never forgive myself if anything happened to any of you."
Malon looked unhappily at him, but covered her father's other hand to halt any further argument. "He's right, father. This is something he has to do alone."
Talon looked back and forth and shook his head sadly.
"Hard-headed young colts, the both of ya," He said, affectionately. He rose then, and began to move about the room to recollect Link's belongings. Malon rose to help him, and Link was left to lay back down, and think of the journey ahead.