Death By Princess {Complete}

CH 2

Link stands outside Koraria Village, a small Hyrulian farming community just northeast of the Royal Grounds.

Link's hometown. Well, the earliest home that he can remember, at least.

He left Koraria a long time ago and when he did leave, he never thought he would come back. Not to live, anyways. He always swore to his kin that he would visit. He never did that either.

It's surreal being back. He is both thankful that he has a place to go but being here means the end of so many incredible things that he once held in his hands. He watches as each finger loosened it's grip much like watching someone who is at the end of their life.

Link is pulled out of his thoughts by the cantering of horses in the distance. A brown haired horse with a redish hue meets Link by his side. 

"Hi, Epona," he says caressing the side of her snout. "It looks like you are resigned of your duties today too. We get to go back to a humble farm life starting tomorrow." Epona snorts, tilting her head from side to side. The rain has stopped leaving the evening air damp and an attraction for mosquitos. It shows with Epona's whipping tail.

Link takes a couple of steps inside the village but stops. He knows once he enters, it will be official. He no longer has the title of Hyrule's Knight, a profession that was deeply gratifying. Purposeful. There is nothing wrong with milking cattle or sheering sheep but it fails in comparison to protecting the land and working side-by-side with what he remembers as a beautiful, strong woman known far and wide as the princess.

But Link is no longer needed there and so he has no other choice but to go back to this Koraria. One step, he thinks. Just one step and it will be done.

There is no going back anyways and so, he takes one step, loosening entirely his grasp on his past. Taking his final breath.

"Oy! There you are Epona," says a voice approaching Link's side. 

Link looks at the person heading in his direction. As she comes closer, there is no mistaking the fact that while he has not seen this young woman before, she is not a stranger to him. When they make eye contact, she slows her pace not sure how to react to the familiar stranger before her.

"Is that really you, Link?" she says when anxiousness makes it impossible to keep her words to herself. If she waits any longer to speak, she would missed opportunity and she isn't about to let that happen.

"It's me. Hi, Lillian," he says finding a genuine smile behind all the turmoil.

"What the hell, man?" she says.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Eleven years to be exact. I thought for sure I would never see your face around these parts of the lands. Not unless duty brought you here," she says putting her finger to her mouth. "Oh. Are we in some sort of trouble?"

Link shakes his head. His eyes are darting around from Lillian, to the ground, to the sights around him. There is so much to take in that he isn't sure where to hold his gaze.

"Right. Didn't think so. You don't look like your dressed for combat," she says noticing his casual clothing. "Say, so what does bring you here? And why are you standing there like an idiot? You can come in, you know."

"Right," he says and the two walk side by-side into the village, Link guiding Epona.

"Now I understand why Epona left my side," she says smiling at the horse. "She must have caught wind that you were nearby. She was walking with me and bam! Like a blot of lightening she took off. She always was your horse."