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Chapter 3: The Forming of Friendships
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—Sheik's POV—
Tomorrow is the day. The day, the Hero of Time returns to Hyrule. Even with that small hope, I've dropped deeper into Sheik, locking Zelda away underneath the grief, anger, and thirst for revenge. Deep down I know it's not good, but it helps stop the pain and loss and fear. I'll deal with anything I can to not have to worry about getting hurt, or being scared or losing more than I already have. I can't let Link get close to me, and he definitely can't know that I was Princess Zelda the last time we met… Memories flood back unwanted and I easily shut them down.
Sheik doesn't know Link, he doesn't know what Zelda experienced, and the weight of Hyrule isn't on his shoulders, its on Link's, I am merely here to point in the right direction and then follow and make sure he doesn't get himself killed. Anything more than that is too much. I cannot get attached to one who is on the front lines of this whole war…
And so when I headed out the next day to the Temple of Time, my mind was set; my role is to remain apart from Link, give him guidance as needed, sometimes as requested, but I will not become attached. Attachment brings pain, there are no relationships, no friendships that will not end in pain, everyone leaves in the end whether through death, or because of a fight. I will always be around, but not always seen.
I decided to bring a shawl to wrap around my head, he was sharp as a kid, there's no telling if he would recognize Zelda under all the minor changes I've made to my appearance. I cover the bottom half of my face with it and then the left side of my face above the shawl is covered by my bangs so that all that can truly be seen is one red eye. I will step in only if he leaves the path he needs to go, or if he is in a situation where death is inevitable for him. He is, after all, Hyrule's only hope…
—Link's POV—
I come to with a slight crick in my neck and stiffness in all my joints. Where am I? How long have I been asleep, the last thing I remember is a cold laugh echoing… Oh! Ganondorf, Zelda! I spring to my feet and regret my quick motions immediately as I stumble to the ground again, head spinning wildly. My eyes open again and regain focus, the nauseous feeling passes over and I take in my surroundings, I'm in the Temple of Time still, Wow, I'm surprised Ganondorf didn't do me in while I slept, where is he?
I look around and notice something off, there is mist in here, and I'm surrounded by an almost transparent blue beam shooting from the edges of the inner part of the pedestal. This can't be right; this feels more like a dream than what I just woke up from…
"Calm your mind young Hero" a voice says behind me
I quickly turn around, my hand raising the sword that is still clenched in it. It warms as I grip it tighter. My gaze is met by the image of an elderly man standing in front of me and he seems to be glowing.
"Who are you?" I ask cautiously, my hand tightening slightly. It has begun to vibrate softly now giving off a low hum.
"You need not fear me my dear boy, I am Rauru, one of the Sages of Hyrule, one of six who guard the temples that people from all over go to for worship and to pay respects to the Goddesses. The only temple Sage still free since Ganondorf's rise to power for I have no physical body to be captured."
As he explained, I lowered my hand, the humming and vibrations faded slowly until it was dead silent all around.
"Where am I, and how long was I asleep?"
"You are in the place the Sages gather when they are free and have been awakened in their time, this place is called the Temple of Light. As to your other question, there is much to be explained and you may not understand everything right now…"
He adjusts his robes before continuing, "When you entered the Temple of Time, placed the three Spiritual Stones and played the Song of Time, it opened the door into the inner sanctum where the Master Sword was placed as a line of defense against any evil beings being able to enter the Sacred Realm. Ganondorf bypassed all defenses by having you come in, open the door, and touch the sword. When you did that, you unknowingly and accidentally opened the passage way into the Sacred Realm which allowed him to enter and touch the Triforce."
My head droops in defeat, the one thing I was trying to stop and avoid, I inadvertently caused, great… Rauru noticed my downcast face and lightly chuckled, "All hope is not lost young Hero, though it will be difficult yet. Ganondorf did not take control of the Triforce; only the piece of Power was received unto him. He got what he was looking for, Power, though not to the fullness he was hoping for. The bearer of Wisdom will join you. Together you will be able to defeat him, without her Wisdom though, you will go astray from the path you are to walk and all hope will be lost.
"Seven years have passed; the world is not the place you once knew. It is harder, meaner and colder than the one you remember, and as seven years have passed in Hyrule, they have also passed here. Look at yourself." He states with a smile on his face gesturing to all of me.
I look down and I realize just how much bigger I have grown, I am no longer the small, scrawny and weak looking seven year old boy I used to be. My tunic had grown with me but I can tell, I didn't just sleep for seven years, the goddesses molded me! My arms are muscled, as are my legs and chest. I've grown taller and stronger than I could have hoped to on my own.
Navi flies up from the ground where I just noticed she had been standing. She looks me over a couple times before nodding and saying, "Oh yeah, I can live with this kind of partner" a small smirk playing across her face than it fell for a second and she looked herself over, "But why didn't they make me any better?"
I snort a small laugh thinking she's joking-she's not, nor did she take my laughing nicely- I apologize and scoop her up with my two hands and bring her close to my face so she is eye level with me and say, "Because they couldn't make you anymore beautiful than you already are my friend," ending with a small wink.
She laughs in her normal tinkling voice and blushes before flying up, giving me a small peck on the forehead and then she slipped under my hat to start in on a nap, apparently she can never sleep too much.
I laugh and shake my head. I wasn't too sure about having a fairy partner, but now that I've spent a few weeks with her and gotten to know her, I couldn't imagine life without her. Well, I could, because I lived it for seven years, but I wouldn't enjoy going back to it. She was like my sister, and mother, and best friend all wrapped in to one. But she was so much more than that; she was almost like another part of me, something that would leave me crippled if she ever went away.
I stop my train of though and return my focus to Rauru who watched the exchange with a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"It is time for you to return young Hero, your destiny and calling awaits, as does one who will help guide you. This person is a part of your past, present and future. Keep them close and listen to the advice they give, you would do well to heed their warnings and keep them in confidence, even if it gets rough sometimes.
"Remember that you are not just defeating Ganondorf and saving Hyrule as a whole. You are to help the people of Hyrule, everyone, the Zoras, Hylians, Humans, Gorons, Sheikahs, and yes, even the Gerudos. These are the peoples who make Hyrule complete. Each race has their good points and their downfalls, but together, they cannot be conquered and each race has skills that will be essential to you and your success. Make friends of all; be kind to any who deserve it and even many of those who don't.
"Be strong and of a Courageous heart, follow Wisdom's cry and know the limit of your Power. Remember this, and you will be fine," He finished with a kind and encouraging smile. The grey mist swirled closer to me, the blue beam now gone and it enveloped my vision.
—Sheik's POV—
For the record, if anyone is keeping track, Re-Deads are a pain in the…gah, that scream is annoying. I made it safely past the Castle Town Market; the only thing disturbed was my patience and the night's silence I was enjoying so much. I walked up to the doors of the Temple of Time. It feels like it was a lifetime ago that I last came here. Possibly because 'Sheik' has now been "alive" as long as Zelda was… I muse humorlessly.
As I slip through the doors, there is a faint shimmer of light that flashed across the room, the inner sanctum literally glowing for a half second and then everything faded back to the black of night. No moon out tonight, this should make getting back out of the city unnoticed easier. Not that many will be watching anyways.
I see a ball of blue light suddenly spring into existence, followed by a lantern. The boy I saw in the Temple of Light is holding it. Link, the Hero of Time has returned at long last.
I step forward quickly, quietly, trying to get a closer look at the one on who so much rested. Could he truly handle something such as this? Is he up for the sleepless nights and grueling challenges and terrifying dangers set before him as mere obstacles before the encounter that will prove fatal for one contender or the other?
Keeping to the shadows I move closer still until I am a little outside of the light given from his lantern. I make a noise and in one fluid motion, he has the lantern attached to his hip, sword in hand and shield on his arm, ready to deal death by the look on his face.
I raise my hands, palms out, chest high and slowly walk forward into the light. He looks startled at first by my appearance and then settles lower into a ready position.
"I have been waiting for you, Hero of Time." At these words he tenses, so I continue with the first thing I can think of, "When evil rules all, and awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be Sages who dwell in the five temples. One in a deep forest, One on a high mountain, One under a vast lake, One within the house of the dead and One inside the goddess of sand. Together with the Hero of Time, the awakened ones will bind the evil and return the light of peace to the world…"
He has shifted from a stance of ready to fight to one of cautious listening. Where the heck did that all just come from? I was meaning to say I come in peace or something simple like that…
I look him over, "I am Sheik, one of the survivors of the ancient race of the Sheikahs, as I can see, you are holding the mythical and legendary Master Sword. If you believe the legend, then your task is to find the five temples and free each of the sages from the evil that has taken up residence there. The first temple you must go to is the Forest Temple, You know the Sage who resides there. A young girl from your past."
His eyes flash. I can tell he knows who I am talking about and he is livid at the thought of her being captured and in danger. Hurt and fear that could have been avoided had he chosen to not have friends, oh well, to each his own decision…
I continue before he gets it in his mind to leave immediately, he has the sword, but that is not quite good enough I don't think, especially if he does not know how to use the sword properly, years of training have made me very anal-retentive about how well a person fights with a sword. "You look like you fill the role of Hero of Time, however, what other equipment do you have at this time?" I ask imperially.
"Um, a boomerang, a slingshot, some Deku nuts, Deku sticks, the Lens of Truth, some bombs and an Oca—"he chokes on the last word as though something is in his throat. I struggle to keep from laughing at him as he listed off some of the things he is calling equipment, sure that may have worked for a seven year old but not for a fourteen year old. The next thing he says pulled me up short though; "Sorry to ask this so randomly, but do you know anything about Zelda, I think she was the Princess of Hyrule, but she was one of my only friends and I haven't…heard anything…" he trailed off as he noticed I was staring at him.
That was the last question I was expecting, emotion threatened to rise again but I beat it back as I answer, "No. No one has seen her since the day her parents were killed by Ganondorf and she escaped from the Castle with Impa. Impa has returned to Kakariko, but she will tell no one of the Princess' whereabouts. It's for the best, the less people who know, the less likely Ganondorf will find her…
"So, back to the matter at hand; equipped as you currently are, I highly doubt you are ready for any great tasks, let alone cross Hyrule Field, safely at night with such toys."
He bristles slightly at this and almost shouts back, "I beg your pardon, but I have crossed Hyrule Field many times with only these 'toys' and a sword much less powerful than this one. I grant you though, they will not stand up much against what I suspect will come next. This is no child's errand…"
His face sets in determination, but his eyes draw my attention. The deep blue wells set into his face begin to burn with resolve and Courage. I look him over once more. Yes, that is the look of the Hero of Time. If he keeps that knowledge at the front of his mind, we might do all right.
"Alright look, if you believe all I have told you, you need to head to Kakariko Village, I've heard the grounds keeper in the town graveyard kept a secret treasure, probably ended up buried with him. I will meet you there or just outside of there after you are done. If I do not meet you, head on from there to the Forest Temple, you must free the Sage there first. Understood?" I ask, lifting my head and looking down my nose at him.
"What you told me, yes, how you know all this, how you know me, and why you are telling me this, no. Any chance you'll answer those questions oh great Sheik?" sarcasm dripping thickly from his voice as he gives a slight bow. At least that hasn't changed with seven years of sleep.
I smirk, not that he could see it, "Maybe later, Hero." I take a step back as I deftly grab a Deku nut from a pouch on my hip. I raise my arm and smash the Deku nut on the ground as I teleport back to the far edge of the Temple away from the doors he will be heading out of.
I stand quietly and watch as he blinks his eyes and then looks around to see where I've gone. Finally he shrugs and turns to Navi and says, "I don't know if I can trust him, but I will say this, that guy has style." I hear her laugh with her tinkling voice as they both turn and leave the Temple…
—Link's POV—
As I walk out of the Temple my mind is reeling. So much info has been thrown at me over what seems like the past couple hours. One, I am the Hero of Time, indisputably. Two, Ganondorf has taken over Hyrule and driven the Royal Family out and no one except Impa has even seen Zelda. Three, I have to go to five temples and free the Sages so they can join their power with me and defeat Ganondorf. And four, I have been asleep for seven years, my stomach grumbles, oh, dang. I haven't eaten for seven years!
As I finish this thought, I turn the corner and walk into the dark market area. I stop walking and listen…there are no lights on. Not even from behind shades and blinds in the buildings. Actually, now that I look closer, most of the buildings are run down, the fountain isn't running, but these aren't the things I am worried about, there is no sound. Not even the stray dogs barking or their nails clicking on the stone pathways…it feels…well, dead.
My eyes finally adjust to the darkness around me fully. I see dark shapes bent over, it looks like people, but they are so skinny, just skin and bones, almost like they died standing up and then shriveled.
The hair on the back of my neck stands up. I tap the side of my hat softly and Navi sticks her head out after a second.
"Yes, oh Great Hero?" she asks with an edge to her voice though it is slightly masked by grogginess. No matter what I am called or told, I know I can count on her to keep me level headed and continually nursing my pride. Though the sarcasm is a trait she picked up since she has been with me.
Hehe, corrupting a fairy. She only used to say 'Goddesses' reverently and would never use sarcasm, let alone curse. Only a few weeks together, or would it be considered years now? Hmm, something to ponder later; the few weeks she has spent with me awake have almost completed her training, as long as she doesn't treat others like this, we are good.
I smile and then return to the reason I woke her up in the first place.
"Hey dear," I say with false innocence, "Would you mind giving me some light so I can see what is going on here in the market place. Preferably over near the dark shadowy figure on the other side of the fountain." I almost add 'Pretty please" in a childish voice but I restrain myself.
With a harrumph, and slides out from underneath my hat, her light blinding me. She made it only a couple feet from me before the great shriek of a Re-Dead cuts through the night's complete silence.
Yeah, "dead" described the air perfectly, I think as I am paralyzed, no time to defend myself from that. As I regain control of my limbs and mouth, I call Navi back to me, seeing their face is almost as bad as hearing the shriek, and take off full tilt towards the street that leads to the gate. Oh crap, its night time, the gates are closed! How am I supposed to get out now? Fighting things the first day back, guess it could have been worse…
As I get closer to the gates, my fears are shown to be groundless. Apparently the Re-Deads don't care if things come in at night, not only is the gate not up, its broken in half and lying partly in the river it used to cross.
Oh, Hyrule…I'm sorry you have been so torn while I, the one destined to protect you, have slept…
My eyes begin to water as I leapt over the small amount of water running over the broken gate and continue running into the night. I've already fallen behind in my duties and failed so many people…please don't hate me, Zelda…
I don't sleep tonight, I run. Stopping only to strike down a stalchild or two who get in my way. Dawn breaks across the sky as I reach, Lon Lon Ranch. Hopefully Malon and her father are still here and might remember me well enough to let me crash here for the night…
Then a thought that will continually plague me as I journey and re-meet those I knew I could once call friends hits me. Is there a reward out for my capture, will they turn me in to Ganondorf for money?
I can still clearly remember standing in the horse pen with Malon, learning the song Epona likes so much, becoming friends with both of the females there. Revisiting the ranch anytime I crossed a large portion of Hyrule. Talon would always offer to refill an empty jar of mine with milk, I would almost always accept if I had one to spare. I hope very much they haven't changed for the wonderful people I knew them as before…
Something that surprises me as I walk up to the entrance to the ranch is I am not tired, or short of breathe. I feel refreshed, energized…maybe its nerves. Or seven years of sleep has made me immune to fatigue. Wouldn't that be great…
With a smile on my face, I step under the sign hanging over the pathway leading into the ranch. It doesn't look like much has changed as the buildings come into view as I round the corner, though it looks like Ingo is out putting the horses through a set of paces for the morning. He must have gotten a promotion; he used to only clean the stables. I wonder if he'll recognize me, I never saw much of him or talked to him.
I walk to the fence and stand watching for a couple moments before shouting to get his attention, not loud enough to startle the horses, but enough of a shock to make him jump and turn quickly. He comes around from the opposite side of the horse and I feel the look of shock cross my face before I gain control once more of my expression. He is dressed far better than even Talon ever was, and definitely up earlier too but that's nothing too new. What is going on here?
He walks closer and eyes me arrogantly and apparently after deciding he looked better than me, he addressed me with the most prideful voice I have heard from anyone, he says, "And how may I be of service to you young man? Needing some riding time? I charge ten rupees for ten minutes of riding. That is the final deal, if you don't like it, you can use the way you came in and leave. If you do ride, and you wish to, you can ask to race me on whatever horse you can get onto. We will wager and then race."
Apparently he doesn't remember me. "Umm, where is Talon and Malon?" I ask him, returning his harsh glare.
"I see you haven't been around these parts for a few years, I have taken over this ranch in place of him. I work five times as hard, I am ten times as smart, and I have much better connections. The Great Ganondorf" –I force back a gag at the way he almost loving said his name- "has allowed me to run this ranch as I choose as long as I give him a gift every once in a while. Malon is still here, she works hard enough and is willing to work the horses and cook for me. But enough talk, either you pay, ride and leave, or you leave. Which will it be?"
I stare at him dumbly for a second and then answer, "I will leave for now, but I may return some other time to ride." I bow slightly as I take a couple steps backwards and turn towards the house.
I wait until he has returned to walking the horse around the fence line before opening the door to the stable and walk in. Malon is standing near the cows laying down hay her back to me.
Apparently she heard the door open and close because without turning around she says with a slightly exasperated voice, "Look Ingo, I am working as hard as I can but you must give me time to finish everything, I am only human. Only the goddesses could even hope to finish all the chores you have laid out by this early in the morning, let alone the early afternoon, please don't give me more until I have finished the normal chores…"
She trailed off at the end because she had finally stood up and turned to face me, seeing it wasn't Ingo she blushed deeply. "Begging your pardon sir, I thought you were my boss. Not to speak ill of him, but he often gives me too much to complete in a full day of working dawn to dusk…"
I offer her a wide grin, one much like I used to give when I was younger. Yup, I'm still a kid at heart, don't blame me, I was a seven year old yesterday.
"I used to remember him being much nicer. I was terribly sorry to hear about your dad though, Malon."
Her face changes into an expression of confusion before looking me over once and then her eyes widen, "Link? Is that you?"
I once again give my wide smile, and laugh slightly "Yeah, Malon. It's me. Sorry I haven't been around for so long, I was…unavoidably detained. I must ask though, why are you still here? Why didn't you leave with your dad?"
Her eyes fall, as does her head and she looks at the ground in silence for a few moments before answering quietly, "No one has seen my dad since he left, I don't even know where he is. And I am still here to help look after the horses. If I wasn't here, I don't know if the animals would still be alive."
I know this hurts her as bad as not knowing where her father is, the animals here were her only friends until I came along… I try and lighten the mood, "Epona looks to be doing decent, I was very glad to see that." I offered with a small smile on my face looking at her hopefully.
My face falls when I see her fierce expression on her face as she whips it up to look into my eyes levelly. "She may look like the best horse ever bred, but her spirit is almost broken. Ingo allows anyone to come into the ranch and ride for ten-minute increments at ten rupees per each ten minutes you want to ride. So many riders have come in and loved how she looks, but she runs from anyone she doesn't know. The riders get upset at Ingo for having such a pretty horse in there to tempt them but then they cant ride because she wont sit still. In turn he gets angry with her, and me since I try my best to protect her.
"He would whip her while she is tethered in the stall. Thankfully there haven't been many riders come lately and all the open cuts she used to bleed from are now closed up. Even I can't come near her unless I first play the song she loves. Other than that, she is terrified of any who approach her, whether she knew them or not before."
My eyes start hurting because of how wide they have stretched during her story. How could Ingo do this, even though I never really got to know him, he was so humble, so nice, soft spoken and just happy to have a job here…
I set my face, I can't let this happen, Epona doesn't deserve this treatment and neither do the other animals here. And Malon and her father deserve to own this ranch, not Ingo, no matter how hard he worked. I nod to Malon, "Alright, I'm going to go have a…chat with Ingo…" This must end today.
I offer once again a small, reassuring smile to her before walking back out the door, a plan formulating in my head…
As I near the fence once more I shout, "Hello there again Ingo, I have decided that I have nothing better to do than to pay you to ride, that mare over there with the white mane looks quite the beauty. If you would so kindly oblige me, sir." I give a small bow in his direction once more.
He grins evilly but says nothing as he walks over to the closed gate an opens it. I pull the required money from my pouch and drop it into his hand, and then subtly pulling my Ocarina from another pouch. I walk closer to Epona, once I get a distance away from her, I play the Ocarina, loud enough that she can hear but Ingo cannot. As I get half way through she takes a couple steps towards me and then stops again. I play it again after I finish the first time. Low, soothingly, not loud or sharp. She whinnies and trots over to me in an excited fashion and allows me to touch her.
She nuzzles me like she used to, I slowly move down one side of her, petting her neck, the tops of her legs, and along her back. She turns and nips softly at my hat and then shakes her head with a neigh and faces forward again. I pull myself up onto the saddle on her back and gently tap her sides and she moves forward.
Though I never rode her when she was a foal, I feel comfortable on her back. I trust her to carry me safely whether on a leisurely stroll or over treacherous terrain. I follow her movements with ease and its almost like we are moving as one, no jostling around, just smooth movement. She has now moved up to a quick trot. I let out the reins a little more and give her more freedom,
I lightly turn her towards the lower gates that are set up in the field and yell, "Yah!" with a small tap on the rump, letting out most of the reins to give her all the headway she needs and she gallops towards the gate. She clears it easily and then makes a wide turn following the fence around and lining up and running directly toward the taller gate. Surely no horse can clear this, I may not know much about horses, but surely this isn't possible…
She is now galloping all out and there is no reining her in without causing her injury, she is stretched full out and running like Ganondorf is chasing her with a whip of glass shards. I close my eyes shortly before we reach the gate. Malon is going to kill me; I am about to run into a gate that is impossible to jump, riding her closest friend. Goddesses, strike me now, it will be a much kinder fate…
And then, I'm flying. I don't know when Epona jumped, only that she did. The two of us hang in the air for a second and then she lands, much softer than I expected, though it was still quite jarring. My eyes fly open in disbelief and glance around. Ingo apparently went into the house for a short time, he returned from the main house as we rounded the corner and slowed way down. His eyes widen slightly and then his face becomes a scowl.
I direct Epona towards him and she trots cautiously over to him. Once I make eye contact with him again I say loudly, "I would like to race you sir if you would humor me, I am sure a fine horse trainer as yourself would have no trouble beating one as young as I, but I wish to try my luck all the same." I finish with a falsely self-conscious smile. Like I don't know this horse can outrun any you have here or even any you have hidden in all of Hyrule.
He looks at me, the scowl clearing from his face and a malicious looking grin slips into its place. "Fine, the wager is 50 rupees, if you don't have that, then your time is up and you must leave the ranch, we are closing up soon."
I reach into my pocket and pull out the amount and once again drop them into his hand, his grin falling slightly as he counts and sees all the money is there. What, too much for a kid to be carrying around or something? I've bought potions that cost more than that.
He whistles and a horse comes from the far side of the field. I walk Epona out of the gate and he leads his horse out before mounting up. He walks his horse to the outer edge, putting me near the fence. Any other horse I would have worried about this on, but I know Epona can handle the tight turns. He is actually putting me at a slight advantage, less ground to cover.
He looks over at me and counts down from three. After "One" he throws a Deku nut down and the resulting pop is the signal to start. I dig into Epona's side with a shout and she is off like a rocket, at first neck-and-neck with Ingo's horse, but quickly pulling away, she makes the first turn with no problem, the shorter length of the field and then another perfect turn.
I let her lead out on the longer straightaway, quickly pulling even farther ahead of Ingo, leaving him now a few horse lengths behind. Epona is still running just below her fastest as she pulls away from the fence some and makes the fourth and final turn, opening back out to a full run again as she goes down the longer stretch again and then we go around again. Suffice it to say, Ingo was only halfway through the backstretch by the time I reined in Epona after crossing the finish like by the gate the second time around.
I sit as he comes around, the scowl back on his face and set so firmly I am quite sure his face will never be able to revert to a normal expression. He pulls up beside me cursing, at his horse and the goddesses and the sun and anything else he can think to name, including me. I smirk a bit at that.
My expression catches his eye and he rounds on me, "Fine! I demand a rematch!"
"And what, great horse trainer, will you raise the stakes to, I must say, once you pay up, my money bag will be much fatter and heavier." Egging on his bad temper, hoping he'll take my baiting and make the offer that will make three lives much easier.
To be sure he understands just how dire his situation is I add looking away as if thoughtfully, "For it must be good enough to tempt me to race again. I'm half inclined to just leave here telling how Ingo, the great horse trainer of Hyrule, can't even beat a kid in a horse race," a taunting glint creeping into my eyes as I glance back at him through the corners of my eyes.
His face turns beet red and then a wave of purple rushed from the top of his head down to his neck. I wonder for a second if it flowed on down into his chest. Then he gets an evil glint in his eyes, "If I win, you must pay me two hundred rupees and then leave and swear to never return again." He nodded as if proud of that statement.
Before he can speak again I open my mouth to interrupt him saying, "As you stated your end if you won, I will state mine." He opened his mouth to protest but I cut him off, "Do you really think you could deny me much if you lost to me twice? No, you will be in no such place to bargain. I will keep the horse I ride if I win and you will pay me the winnings from last race. Those are my only two conditions." Anything more will happen of its own accord, he will be kicked out from this ranch and, as Malon has proved, she can keep it running until I find her father and have him return to help her.
Though he is extremely unhappy from how the wager turned out, there was nothing he could do, but there was still a glint hidden just below the surface. He was planning something. I pat Epona soothingly on the side of the neck as Ingo draws his horse up even with mine. He counts down once again but this time at "One" he kicks his horse and then throws the Deku nut on the ground in front of Epona, apparently trying to startle her.
Epona is off at the crack of the Deku nut needing little encouragement from me, the sound and flash from the Deku nut did nothing to startle her and by the time we rounded the first two turns, we were already neck-and-neck with Ingo. Our sudden appearance between him and the fence startles him to the point his horse slows down slightly, I lean into Epona and talk loud enough for her to hear, soothing her and urging her faster.
We won't just beat him again; we will take his pride, along with the ranch he stole out from underneath good, honest people. He deserves so much worse, but I am not the one to give out the punishment. This will have to do until Hyrule is righted once again and he can be tried before the Royal Family, or judge or who ever takes care of these kinds of things.
Once again we pass the finish line the first time and slowly bear down on Ingo and his horse that still have not fully recovered from the scare. We make it all the way around and cross the finish line just as Ingo is making the second turn on his second lap. His face did what I considered the impossible and no longer has any trace of the scowl I thought would be a permanent adornment there. I wait for him to finish the ride around the impromptu track, but instead of coming up beside me, he rides over to the gate in between the two buildings, gets off his horse and then closes and locks the gate with a ill-looking grin spread across his face.
He looks over at me and shouts, "Sure, you beat me fair and square and you can keep the horse, but you will never leave this farm!"
I look at his taken aback, great; he found a loophole and caged me with it… I look around me and my eyes fall on the tall gate in the fenced in field I thought Epona wouldn't be able to clear, or fenced me in rather… I grin back at him and chuckle slightly.
"If I was on a normal horse, you blocking that gate would be a problem, but let me ask you, who is guarding the walls surrounding the ranch?" I call back enthusiastically.
His face skewers in confusion, then he laughs, "Right, very funny, as if a horse could clear that, you know how many of the best riders have tried to clear the tall gate inside the fenced area? All failed, Malon was hard pressed to help them recover."
"Ah, right you are, but I am on no normal horse, this is Epona, and I have cleared the gate you speak of, well she has, I was holding on for dear life with my eyes closed." I pat Epona affectionately on the neck; no one can claim that I don't give credit where credit is due.
Ingo's face is overtaken by a look of awe and then fear; his only threat was quickly becoming empty words.
I give a one fingered salute, turn Epona towards the wall and tell her "Get us outta this hellhole girl," and tap her sides with my feet. She builds up to full speed and then launches herself gracefully over the wall, landing just as gracefully on the other side. "Well done girl, well done," I say, patting her neck once more and she settles into a comfortable trot in the direction of Kakariko. Bet Sheik wasn't expecting me to get a horse, boy he'll be surprised. He seems familiar, like Zelda did, but different. Then again, a lot of the people I've run into have felt like that, almost like I've known them before now, just as different people with different names and in different places, but that can't be possible. I shake my head and set my gaze forward, Kakariko, here we come. My stomach growls again, man, still haven't eaten yet…
