Before Twilight

Chapter 20: Epona

Link's P.O.V

After I had left Rusl's house I decided to pay a visit to my horse Epona. She had been in the stables nearly all day and had yet to come out and stretch her legs. The sun was setting so I carefully lit my lantern and headed towards the stables. I entered the stables to find that Epona's stall was empty. She was no where in sight. 

"Epona!" I called followed by with a whistle. 

She was a good horse and always came when I called. I half expected her to come around the corner any second but nothing happened. I suddenly began to worry. 

I had raised Epona since she was a young mare. She understood me and I her. I cared deeply for her even thought she was just a horse. She obeyed no one else besides Ilia and I. 

"Ilia." I sighed. 

Ilia always favored Epona more than her own horse. When her and I were together we both took care of her. Ilia was attached to her. She would sometimes come to the stables and give her apples and carrots for a treat, or she would take her to the springs to clean her off. The act never bothered me it made both Epona and Ilia happy. But I never expected Ilia to take Epona out this late in the evening. 

I began my way towards the springs just outside of Ordon. The springs was a sacred place. Many of those in Ordon go there in hopes to get prayers answered. Others go to just enjoy its healing waters. 

When I was  brought to Ordon as a child Rusl had brought me there to pray with him. He told me that the Three Goddesses; Farore, Nayru,and Din used the springs as conduits to connect all of Hyrule.  Legend says that there is an underground aquifer that connect all of the three sacred springs. Three springs to represent the three goddesses. 

As I wandered down the path towards the spring recollecting my memories I couldn't help but here faint voices in the distance. I then concentrated on walking ahead. When I approached the spring a golden light burst skyward. I quickly turned the corner to enter the spring. When I arrived I found Sheik.

She was laying on her back floating in the spring's healing waters. Her eyes were closed and at peace. 

"Sheik?" I inquired. 

Her eyes fluttered open at the sound of my voice.  She then stood up and looked at me in confusion. 

"What are you doing here?" She asked. 

"I could ask you the same thing?" I snapped. 

Sheik rolled her eyes at my response. 

I looked at her up and down. Her white night dress was soaked. It clung to her wet skin as she draped her hair over her shoulder and wrung it out. 

"What are you staring at?" Sheik asked. 

"You." I answered truthfully. 

Sheik's eyebrows raised in surprise while her cheeks reddened.

She then walked out of the water gracefully. She appeared cold as she got out of the water. 

"Cold?" I inquired.

"A bit." She admitted. 

"Here." I offered as I unbuttoned my shirt. 

"No thats alright." Sheik tried. 

I ignored her wishes and placed my shirt on her shoulders anyways.  

"Thank you, but I was going to say I have a shawl." Sheik explained as she gestured to the shawl on the ground beside her boots. 

I bent down and scooped it up to find that it was wet.

"Its soaked!" I exclaimed.

"We need to get you back and put you in some warm clothes before you catch a cold." I explained.