Unrequited Destiny

Chapter 1- The Start of an Adventure

The sun had just begun to peak it's head up from the mountainous cliffs, spreading soft pinks and purples throughout the sky. Jacie finished the last of her packing as she put the saddle bag onto her brown stallion. "You rested after the long journey here, Ebony?" She quietly asked her horse as she tightened the last strap. Jacie's ears perked up when she heard footsteps approaching, "Took you long enough Hero boy," she said without turning away from her horse.

Link let out a very audible scoff at her "nickname" for him, "You said morning, so I believe it's your fault if there was a miscommunication."

The brunette spun around smirking at him. "Oh! The little hero's a feisty one." She snickered and pushed herself up and onto Ebony's saddle. "Well?" Jacie said when he didn't immediately move, "Are we leaving or not?" She asked him, growing comically impatient with Link's "slowness".

Link chuckled to himself and whistled for his horse. Galloping up to her master, Epona nuzzled him gently. "You ready Epona?" He asked her as he rubbed her nose.

Jacie watched the two interact for a few moments before turning away and rolling her eyes. "Let me guess, she's supposed to be the legendary horse from the myths?"

When he didn't respond right away she began again, "Then let's see if you're anything like legends say." Jacie stated simply before flicking her reins and beginning to follow the dirt path up the hill and out of Lurelin Village.

The blonde hero watched Jacie quizzically for a moment before climbing onto Epona, chasing after her. Once the two were side by side their pace slowed to a trot as Jacie admired the hills she'd seen hundreds of times, with the fascination that of a child. Passing through the empty grassy fields into the tropical jungle, she began humming. An attempt to keep her busy mind at bay.

"What're you humming?" Link asked trying to break the uncomfortable silence.

"My mating call," Jacie quipped.

Link was so startled by her response that he slipped from the saddle, dangling from the horse and almost face planting into the bridge below. This sent Jacie into a fit of laughter, stopping Ebony to avoid falling off of her own steed. Struggling to breathe through her snorting, Jacie hopped down to assist Link.

Said person had been silent through the entire endeavor, steaming with ire. "Stop laughing and help me!" He yelled as he frustratedly moved around attempting to untangle his feet.

"Awe... Is the little hero pouting?" she mocked, bending down to look at him with her hands on her cheeks. "If you want to get to the spring by nightfall, I suggest you get up." She said with a smug smile, before freeing Link from further embarrassment.

He watched her with a confused look, as she once again climbed on Ebony. He carefully stood up and dusted himself off, sending a playful glare Jacie's way.

"Where is the spring anyway?" He implored as he mounted Epona.

"The Faron forest of course," Jacie said simply, flicking the reins to continue onward. With that their silence took over once again.

They had been walking for several hours on the uneven dirt path when Link asked, "Do you even know where the spring is? You'd think that it wouldn't be in plain sight."

Jacie turned her gaze over to him and gave him a cold glare. "Look smartass, who came to whom for help?" she deadpanned. "Plus I'm not the one who took a one hundred year nap, so I think I know the land better than you."

Link only glared daggers at Jacie as he responded slightly agitated. "I was just observing the obvious, you know like for something out of the ordinary." Before he could continue they heard faint accordion music coming from somewhere.