Inverted Triforce

Chapter 10

When Zelda was brought back into the room, Amelia and Oroth left without a word. Within a few hours, Zelda was up, pacing her room as Epona looked on anxiously.

“I really don’t think he’ll kill you, Zelda.”

“You’re right because there’s something preventing him from doing so.”

“What will convince you that he won’t kill you?”

“I don’t… know,” Zelda spoke slowly. She was already convinced he wouldn’t kill her. Realistically, she knew she was safe from him. However, the small voice in the back of her mind was terrorizing her with possibilities of being killed by him. Fear wasn’t what was driving her, as she only felt intimidated by him when he was angry.

“I want to practice with my sword,” Zelda said suddenly.

“Are you sure your legs will be able to handle that?” Epona asked with a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

Zelda didn’t answer. She grabbed some fresh clothing, deliberately leaving the heroic green tunic in the wardrobe. Over the light fabric, she wore the heavy cloak that Ganon had given her for the traveling. It was thick and soft, with the smell of fresh leather. It felt heavier than she remembered. Picking up the sword, Epona called out to her.

“We’re not using real swords. You’ll hurt yourself,” she said firmly.

“I’ll hurt myself regardless,” Zelda’s stubborn response made Epona groan.

Zelda left the bedroom with Epona close on her heels. The safety she felt in that bedroom made her anxious. She realized the sense of security came from the bond between wisdom and courage, but she hoped that it would have gone away with the piece being removed from her body.

Outside, Zelda shivered when the cold wind licked her face. The foliage suggested that it was the end of fall as leaves lay on the ground in heaps of red and brown. The air was dry, and it felt as if it were the early hours of the morning. Epona glanced at Zelda wearily as she looked around for a good spot to practice.

Ganon’s castle was immense. It held a courtyard in the center, with high towers and gigantic black walls that threatened to consume the sun.

“How do you think Ganon got this castle?” Zelda asked, wandering through the messy courtyard. The castle wasn’t maintained very well, she thought. The paths outside consisted of stone, but it was worn and dusty. The remains of plants went uncared for as they became wild and tall. Decaying bushes and flowerbeds were replaced with patchy dirt and crispy, dead vines.

There was no response from Epona. When Zelda looked at her, she was admiring a crumbling statue that Zelda passed without a second thought. Epona’s hand touched the statue. Zelda didn’t recognize what it was until she inspected it more closely. The shape of the statue was that of a person sitting on a horse that stood on its hind legs. Details of the clothing and faces were worn to the point where they were faceless shapes.

Epona’s eyes held a hint of revelation as her hand touched the stone horse’s belly.

Zelda bent over to read the faded plaque. It read, “The Hero and his truest Friend”. It was missing letters, but Zelda knew the statue. The memory returned to her the moment she recognized the shape. “This was me in another life, huh?” Epona asked.

“It is. I remember this statue,” Zelda said softly.

“How did it get here? Ganon hates Link.”

Epona’s question threw Zelda off briefly. She realized, however, that the statue has not moved. It has been in the same spot for a very long time. “No,” Zelda said quietly, “The statue has not moved.” Despite the decaying courtyard and dark castle walls, she knew the layout of the courtyard. It was why she was never lost when she walked around the castle, she realized.