The Legend of Zelda: Goddess of Secrecy

Overworld Chapter 25 - The Train Station

...and across the fort towards the gate back into the desert beyond. A few troops were riding up as they approached. Zelda stopped to survey the desert before them, before turning back to Link. "Do you have a plan to get out of here?" It was miles still to Hyrule Fields, much less the Eveningale Station.

Link pulled out the Ocarina of Time. He started playing the whistle he had made up when he got Epona. The song echoed out across the vast desert. Zelda said, "I don't think Epona will hear you from here."

A neigh returned Link's call. Zelda's eyes widened as Epona came barreling across the desert towards them. Link grabbed Epona's reins as the mare crashing into a slide and walked to him. She snorted, and shook off the sand that clung to her sides. Her sides were heaving, but otherwise, the mare looked fine.

"That is one impressive horse," one of the posted guards said. "Where'd you get her?"

"Lon Lon Ranch," Link answered the man.

"You're kidding. The only horse they have like that is untamable," another guard commented. "She sent me flying when I tried. I busted my arm, got me stuck in the medic tent for a month."

"So that's the story now, is it? Last week it was a moblin that broke your arm," the first guard said with a laugh.

"Shut up," the second grumbled, looking off into the desert to avoid further questions.

His companion laughed before he too returned to his duty, chuckling to himself about stories being told around the fort. Nothing to add on that, Link turned back to Epona. She whinnied, before pressing her nose into Link's face, and then hand as he pushed her back. He shook his head as he climbed up to her saddle. Settled, Link extended his hand back out to Zelda. Zelda gladly took it, and pulled herself into the saddle behind Link.

"Can she make it to the edge of the desert by sunrise with the two of us?" Zelda asked.

Epona snorted, insulted by the comment. Link said, "She just has to make it to the Sandsought Station. We can take the train from there. That can't be too far, can it?"

Zelda answered, "I guess not."

Link asked Epona on. The horse shook her head, before racing on across the desert without hitting the other gaits between. Link tried to keep Epona from pushing too hard, but the horse had something to prove. Link sighed and held on tighter to the reins as Zelda's arms squeezed tight around him.

The sun started creeping up over the horizon as the two arrived in Sandsought. The village was nearly invisible in the dark, the sandstone buildings blending in perfectly with the desert. A few Gerudo walked between the buildings, followed by human and Hylian residents as they peaked out in the early hours to see what the commotion was about.

The train station itself was on the outskirts of town. It was the loudest part of the settlement this early in the morning. A train must have arrived not long ago, because there were still many young workers racing bags back and forth from the train station.

Link dismounted Epona and helped Zelda down. She smiled and took a step back. She said, "Do you think they'll board Epona?"

"If the owner rides with the horse, then yes."

The two turned to face the Gerudo engineer. She wiped her hands off, and said, "That's just policy. Of course, if you can't afford it, then you don't have anything to worry about."

"I think we can afford it," Zelda said. "I doubt you would want the King complaining about his daughter missing."

The engineer bowed, though she didn't seem very impressed. "Very well, Princess, but your friend will need to pay for him and his horse."