Light knocking could be heard on the door. "I'm coming, I'm coming!" A young man shouted as he rolled off of his bed; letting out a groan as he stretched. He rubbed his eyes as he walked through the dark house. He was wearing blue pants, but didn't have a shirt on. His brown long hair was braided in the back. It was rather messed up from him sleeping on it. He wondered worriedly who could be at the door at this time of night.
The young man in his 20's looked surprised at the two standing at the door. He scratched the back of his head as he commented "Well, I wasn't expecting you two to show. But, since you're here… come on in." He waved them in as he walked over to the counter and lit a couple of candles to light up the kitchen.
Link, with Navi in tow on his shoulder, followed the man into the room. Link walked up to the table, sitting down. "What are you talking about Ollin?" Navi questioned him. "Didn't you get our letter that said we would be here today or tomorrow? We made it today in hopes of getting dinner. Looks like you fell asleep and now are disorientated."
Ollin looked over his shoulder at the two. "Most people are in bed at this time of the evening, Navi. Besides, it was three weeks ago you guys sent the letter that said you'd be here today or tomorrow." He shook his head as he grabbed a couple of cups. His guess; they got distracted in their adventures and lost track of time. "But it's fine, you two finally made it here, that all that matters." Ollin bid as he turned to the two.
Link and Navi were staring at him dumbstruck. What was he talking about? They had just sent the letter the day before and he's saying he got it three weeks ago? How is that possible? "Are you two ok?" Ollin questioned them. He could see by their expressions something was disturbing them.
"No way was it three weeks ago." Link spouted. He was trying to figure out what was going on. This wasn't right. Maybe Ollin was just messing with them since they woke him up. There was just no way it had been three weeks. Yeah, he had to be messing with them, he determined.
"Yes, it's been three weeks since I got your letter. I gave up on you two. I figured you lost track of time on one of your little adventures." Ollin insisted with a smile trying to reassure them everything was ok. "It doesn't bother me that you're late. Really! I'm happy you finally made it. I enjoy your fine company." He set the cups on the table. He then walked over to the makeshift fridge. He pulled out a jug. He set it on the table as he sat down.
"Ollin, we were on our way here when we sent that letter. It doesn't take that long to get here. All we did was take a small break; for fishing and a nap." Navi explained. "No way has it been three weeks." She was just as confused at her blonde friend over this time issue. Navi flew off of Link's shoulder and sat down on the table. "Doesn't make any sense at all, I doubt we could have slept for 3 weeks. There's just no way, is there?"
Ollin grabbed the jug filling the cups. He looked at Navi. "Are you sure that you two didn't get side-tracked?" Ollin questioned them a little baffled at their confusion. By the looks of it, they seemed to really believe that they were on their way there; so somewhere, somehow, from there to here they lost time, three weeks worth. How is that possible? he wondered. No, they must be disorientated is all. You don't just get up and lose three weeks.
Link let out a small disgruntled sigh as he picked up the glass and peered down at the water inside. "I know we didn't. We were fishing and laid down for a short nap. After the rest, we headed here. We had sent the letter the day before from a nearby town. The walk from the lake is only a day's travel to here."
Ollin looked at the blonde and then to the faerie. He held the back of his head thinking. There had to be some logical reason why these two believe they lost three weeks. "I'll tell you what; tomorrow we'll head back up to the lake to see if there's something that might help explain what happened; maybe help jog your memory. If that doesn't work, we'll keep backtracking till we find something that you two remember." he offered as he let out a yawn. "I'm sure you'll find it was nothing more than an overly-tired mind that has forgotten or just a simple slip of mind and you'll soon remember it all."
Link nodded a little as he took a small drink of his water. "That sounds good. We're sorry about waking you up so late in the evening, Ollin. I guess our hours are off as well. We thought it was earlier." addressed the teen as he looked at the glass of water in his hand. "Yeah…dinnertime." chimed the faerie in a depressed pitch.
"It's fine. No big deal." Ollin said. He handed a scrap of bread to Navi. "Thanks!" she said as she bit in. "You need anything, Link?" asked their host. Link shook his head no. He was still mind boggled by the fact that there were three weeks missing in his and Navi's life. He felt like it had to be more than a slip of mind, or over-tiredness, one does not easily forget three weeks. A lot can happen in that period of time.
"Everything's fine. Just a little mix up or slip of mind. Don't worry yourself so." Ollin said trying to make this easier on the two. "Maybe you two should get some rest. You can take the spare room. If you want Link you can borrow some of my clothes to sleep in. They're in the drawer over there." he pointed as he got to his feet, stretching. "Try not to think about it too much. You will just end up stressing yourself. We'll no doubt find the answers tomorrow."
Navi watched Ollin put his cup in the sink. "You sure you don't mind doing this, Ollin? I'm sure you have better things to do." she asked him in concern of already intruding on his sleep. Ollin shook his head. "I don't mind. You two helped me out a while back, now I get a chance to return the favor." he stated as he walked up putting his hand on Link's shoulder trying to reassure him. "Just, rest on it." Ollin murmured as he let out a long yawn. "I'm sure it will come back to you… Well, I'm going to head back to bed. Don't stay up all night. You need to get your time back on track as well."
Navi watched Ollin head off to his room. She then looked up at Link who seemed lost in his thoughts. "You think we will find something tomorrow?" Navi questioned Link. He was staring intensely at his glass of water. "Hey Link? You there?" Navi asked as she flew up in his face; knocking on his forehead as if it was a door.
Link shook his head breaking his stare. "Er, sorry." he said quietly. He had a sickening feeling that he had forgotten something important that happened in that missing time. Just like when he had first woke up from that nap, he never could shake the feeling and now it seems that it has justification; three weeks of his life missing.
"Come on Link, Ollin's right, we should get some rest. I'm sure sleeping in a bed for once will help things out." Navi said as she flew up and landed on his shoulder. "So let's go! Tomorrow, we can worry about the missing time." She looked over at Link. She didn't like how he was reacting to this. It reminded her too much of when he would have one of his flashbacks of his past lives.
Link stood up. He left the half-empty glass of water on the table. He blew out a couple of the candles as he grabbed one using it to guide his way to the spare bedroom. Walking into the small room, Link set the candle on a small table.
Navi jumped off his shoulder and landed on the bed. "Finally, a nice soft bed." she giggled as she looked up at Link. He was removing his sword and belt. He then sat down on the bed quietly taking off his boots. Navi's ears drooped. He was a bit too quiet for her liking.
Link looked over at her. He knew that look she was giving him. He let out a sigh, taking off his hat. He dropped it on her. "I'll be fine, Navi. I'm sure Ollin's right, a good night's rest will do the trick." he lied. He laid back on the bed looking up at the ceiling.
Navi fought her way out from under his hat. She then flew and landed on the pillow next to him. "Night, Link" she said softly. She curled up in a small ball; falling quickly to sleep. Link closed his eyes as he thought about the missing time. "Don't you feel the missing time?" he asked his little friend."Cause I've been feeling it since we first woke. Something missing, something I shouldn't forget." He waited for her reply but there was only silence. He looked over at her to find she was already fast asleep. He once again closed his eyes as he prayed that he could remember what happened in those felt it was something important. He then drifted off.
Ollin let out a small yawn as he woke up. The sun was just starting to peek its way over the horizon. He grabbed a small black book off of his end table as he shuffled through a couple of other things on the table. Grabbing a small ink jar and a feather he got to his feet. He headed towards the kitchen so he could write down a few things he wanted to remember.
"Usually, you sleep a lot later. You always seem to enjoy sleeping on a bed, but here you are awake in the early hours." he rattled as he noticed the teen already sitting at the table. He walked over and dropped the book onto the table.
Link had his elbow on the table leaning his head against his hand as he saw Ollin walk up. He jumped a little when the book landed on the table. He watched Ollin as he then walked to the cabinet. He grabbed a cup out. "Bad dream?" Ollin questioned Link as he walked back over to the table. He sat down while studying the teen.
Link stared down at the table. "No dreams… just an empty blackness… I couldn't really sleep…I faded in and out of sleep all night." the teen sighed, closing his eyes. Everything seemed so off. He was used to dreams, nightmares, but this emptiness was something he couldn't take.
Ollin grabbed the jug of water and poured himself some. "My mom used to tell me, dreams were a means to see. It could be of the past, present or future. If I remember what Navi told me correctly, you usually have rather vivid dreams." Ollin relayed as he leaned back in the chair; thinking. "When you woke up from your nap yesterday, did you have any dreams?"
Link shook his head as he grabbed his glass from the night before. "Nothing… just the same nothingness…" the teen replied. He was in distress. The feelings that were running through him were twisting his insides. It was as if his heart was crying out but why? Or to what or who, he did not know.
Ollin looked away from the teen. To have no dreams was a bad omen, he believed. He had a bad feeling about what could be happening to his friend. He was beginning to feel as uncomfortable with this as his friends. "Why don't you go wash up? I'll start getting stuff together and that way, we can head out soon." he suggested to the teen.
Getting up to his feet Link nodded a little. "You need me to do anything to help?" the distraught teen asked quietly. He didn't want to be a burden on his friend; he was used to coming to the rescue; not needing rescue. He was used to helping not the one needing help. Still the teen's mind wasn't all there; it was lost in a heavy daze of questions that had no answers and concerns that had no validity to them that he could conjure.. Only gut feelings.
Taking a drink of his water Ollin shook his head… "I've got it all 's nothing to worry about. Go get yourself washed up. After that go wake Navi and hopefully, I'll have everything together by then." replied Ollin wanting to make this as easy on his friend as possible. He opened the small book he had dropped onto the table; studying it as he glanced up at Link as he walked out of the room.
Ollin grabbed the feather out of the book. He flipped through the pages of handwritten notes. His eyes traveled to the last paragraph. Taking his quill pen and dipping it in the ink he then started to add another entry into the black book. It was something he always wrote in to keep a record of his dreams.
'I remember walking down a dark grey hall. It looked to be of a dark iron, it seemed very confining and was without a doubt something I haven't seen before. I walked down the hall, following a ticking sound. It sounded like a clock ticking loudly and constantly, but then it began to slow down with every distinct tick it made; it got slower and slower; echoing eerily down the hallway. It was as if time was running out, coming to an end. I froze up as I heard a crowd of people behind me, they were all dressed in black armor like soldiers or something of the came running up. Then they all just ran past me but one stopped, and turned to me. It was a woman, she had a dark complexion. Her ears weren't pointy, human maybe? She turned around screaming something at me, but I couldn't understand what she was saying as it only sounded like a cannon shooting off.
I, next heard a loud thud behind me; looking back I saw one of the soldiers hit the ground. He was wearing a helmet but it wasn't a helmet like I've ever seen front of it had a hole in it, like an arrow had been shot into it and then pulled back out of it. I found myself turning back, to see the woman scream out running to this fallen soldier. Next to her was Navi flying close by, there was unbelievable horror on her face… Before I could reach out to help, I woke up.
Ollin read over what he wrote. He didn't like the feeling he woke up with. Looking over where the teen had walked off, too; he wondered if it was just coincidence that he had this dream after the two showed up though he felt it more than that. Was the message of his dream that the time the two had lost held something very precious in it? Something that was running out of time? What was that iron like hallway in his dream? What more, who were those soldier like men in black? And who was that screaming woman, what did she represent and what exactly put the look of horror on Navi's face? What could it all mean?
Ollin put the pen in the book shutting it. He didn't like the feel of time ticking away; as if it was slowing to an end... if that was the case; he was wasting precious time right this minute. He headed to his room to get dressed. He knew that he needed to gather his things and get a couple of horses so they can head out as soon as possible.
Link splashed water on his face as his bangs hung over it. 'Why doesn't this feeling leave? It's as if someone stole my very soul from me.' he thought as he looked into the bucket of water; watching the ripples that were created from the water dripping off of his bangs. He stared hard and deep hoping to cause his lost memory to resurface…as he tried to calm his mind.
"Link?" a small voice called him from behind. Navi was fluttering in the air, behind him, holding his hat. "Are you doing any better?" she questioned her friend. Navi studied his face as he looked at her. By his face she could tell he had a restless sleep and his body language spelled out how he was feeling.
Link grabbed a small towel, drying his face. The teen took his hat from the faerie. He put his hat on, fixing it in place as he brushed his bangs out of his face. He avoided eye contact with Navi. He was dealing with feelings that seemed to consume him; he didn't want to have to deal with her reactions to such, too.
Navi flew up and landed on his shoulder as he headed out of the room. She started to hum quietly a serene tune as she watched the ground pass below. She glanced at Link who was off in his own world. She let out a whimper. "You wanna talk Link?" she asked, hoping to relieve some of his bothers.
Link shook his head as he walked into the spare bedroom. He walked up and grabbed his belt putting it on. The sickening feeling kept rushing through him and it felt as if his insides were crying; as if his body was trying to say what his mind could not remember. He was trying to keep his mind off it but it was hard to do as it was all a little overwhelming. He grabbed the master sword and put it on. Link walked over to the bed and plopped onto it. He put his elbows on his knees, holding his head.
Navi watched her friend. She didn't understand, why didn't' she feel the same as him? Why wasn't that missing time tearing her apart? She was with him, right? They were both missing three weeks of their lives. The faerie stared at the ground. Did something happen in that missing time that affected him more than her? She started to question herself trying to figure out what was going on.
Light tapping brought the two back to the moment at hand. Ollin was standing at the door of the bedroom. He was studying the two. He had on a blue shirt with a brown tattered vest over it. His pants were black and they had some dark blue patches in it. He was wearing knee high boots and he had arm pads on his arms.
"Let's get going. The sooner we head back to where this all started, the faster we can find your answers to get you feeling better." Ollin bid as he waved the two to follow. He led them out of the house.
Outside waiting were two beautiful horses. One was brown with a white mane. The other horse was white and had brown spots on it. They both had saddles and bags on them. Ollin walked up to the white horse and brushed its face. "You know how to ride a horse, right?" he questioned Link.
Link looked at Ollin, he never rode a horse on a saddle before. He only did it bareback. He mostly rode wild horses. He walked up slowly to the horse and started to pet it. "Saddle should make the ride comfortable, right?" he insinuated as he looked at Ollin trying to smile a little. The horse seemed familiar by looks; it looked a lot like the horse, Epona that he had in his past lives.
Navi flew off of Link as he got onto the horse. Navi watched him as he settled on the horse and grabbed the reins. He patted the horse on the neck gently to show her it was ok. The teen let out a long sigh trying to silence his mind. "What's her name?" he asked quietly.
Ollin climbed up onto his horse. "Her name is Epona, I had a feeling you would like her. She's named Epona after the goddess who watches over horses." he lightly chuckled as he grabbed the reins. "Don't fall off." he joked with the teen as he turned his horse. "Let's go! Gidda up!" he shouted and his horse took off running.
Link watched Ollin. "Come on Epona" He kicked the sides of the horse to tell it to go. The horse took off running after Ollin. Link winced as the horse took off. It was the first time he was on a horse, he didn't expect it to be like this.
Navi giggled as she flew behind the teen. He looked funny, like he was holding on for dear life to the reigns. She flew close after him. She knew it would be only a matter of time before they would be finding out what happened to those missing weeks and maybe then, her friend would find peace and be back to his old self.