Link saw the lights of Hateno Village faintly in the distance. He slowed his horse to a trot, making sure the princess was still sleeping. His back was warm from her body pressing against his, and it felt nice in the chill of the night. The crickets chirped around them, and fireflies drifted aimlessly through the air, lighting up the air periodically. Link looked back at Zelda, her hair waving slightly in the wind. He was lost for a moment when suddenly, he realized all the crickets had stopped chirping. He halted his horse, realizing that the fireflies too were gone. He listened intently, reaching for his sword he placed on the back of the horse for the ride. Silence surrounded him, and he gripped his weapons, sliding off of the horse. "I know you're out there." Link spoke, eyeing his surroundings. "Show yourself!"
A puff of smoke appeared in front of him, and Link readied his sword. But, out of the smoke, all that dropped was a bottle, hitting the ground with a clink, as all the crickets once again began to chirp, and the fireflies rose to fill the sky. Link sheathed his sword carefully, grabbing hold of the bottle. He lightly lifted Zelda, who was still sound asleep on the horse. He slid himself back in front of her, placing his weapons back in the bag. He set his horse back in motion, still holding the bottle in his hand. He looked around cautiously, and pulled the cork out of the small glass bottle, revealing a small note, rolled up tightly. He unrolled the note slowly, and read a single sentence: "Beware fool, the eye of the Yiga." The trademark saying of the clan. Link crushed the note, shoved it back in the bottle, and pushed the cork in to seal it. He pulled his reigns, and sped his horse to the entrance of Hateno village, anger filling his head. He would not be threatened the Yiga, and he would never let them threaten Zelda.
The pair trotted into the village on the horse, turning right up a hill by the general store. They crossed the bridge to a small house, and over to the stables, where Link hopped off of the horse, grabbing the supplies, and carefully picking up Zelda, placing her arm around his shoulder, and carrying her in both of his arms. He walked inside quietly, sighing as he entered, shutting the door with his foot behind him. I missed this place. He thought, smiling lightly as he walked upstairs. He pulled down the covers of his bed, placing Zelda down lightly on the bed, and covering her once again. He walked back to the stairs, stopping for a moment at the photo hung on his wall; a photo of Zelda, himself, and all the champions. He, smiled, looking down, wishing he could remember them. Wishing he knew more. He walked down the stairs, placing the bag next to his pantry. He grabbed an apple, walking into the yard and out to the stable for a moment.
Link tossed the apple up, catching it back in his hand before handing it to his horse. He patted her on the head and scratched her back. "Good girl," he cooed, grinning. Now you can get some rest too, Epona." Link walked back, leaving Epona munching on her apple. He wasn't sure how the name occurred to him when he first found the horse, but, he just felt that it was... right.
Link walked back into the house, and quickly grabbed his weapons from the bag. He checked on Zelda, who was now snuggled up in his blankets. Link smiled again, stopping at his desk for a moment. He took the bottle out of his pocket, and his smile faded. He set the bottle down, and sat down on a stool next to his bed, sliding his weapons under the bed, and leaning against the wall.
Zelda stirred in her sleep, creeping nightmares rolling through her mind. However, she didn't wake up; she was too sleep deprived to do so. She simply endured the dreams, hoping they would pass soon.
Link refused to let himself sleep, but soon he gave in, and fell asleep carefully on the stool, thinking still of the bottle, and what the yiga has planned.
