The Legend of Zelda: Goddess of Secrecy

Overworld Chapter 26 - An Old Friend

            Link indulged him. “Bruce, Endeavor is stuck in bed at Fort Lanayru with a serious injury. I’m heading to the Water Temple in Frostbite, and I wanted to see if you’d like to come along.”

            Bruce turned to Link. Link finished, “Unless you’re too busy cracking skulls here.”

            “No, that would be great!” Bruce said. “Kaepora was actually sending me that way to man the knight station anyway, so two birds with one stone, right?”

            “It would seem so.”

            “But, we gotta make sure that your horse can keep up with Wind and me, of course,” Bruce said.

            Epona neighed and began to buck. Link gripped the reins tighter and tried to settle the mare. He patted her on the side as she finally calmed down. Bruce asked, “Did I say something?”

            “You challenged her,” Link said with a laugh.

            “Of course you would get a horse like Wind…” Bruce muttered. He coughed, adding in a louder voice, “But I’m sure we could settle this pretty easily. I don’t think the cadets would mind too terribly seeing a little race. Particularly between us.”

            “I don’t think the Head Master would mind too much either,” Link added.

            “We do not have time for a race.”

            “Calm down, Endeavor,” Bruce said. “I’m not ready to go on any kind of quest at the moment. But, give a few select cadets some time, and I’d be ready after a little horse race.”

            “You have a fair point…”

            Bruce clapped Link on the shoulder. “Then it’s settled. Ready to ride?”

            The knight didn’t let anything else Endeavor said stop them. He sent the young cadets racing as the two prepared for their little race. Link just stood back and let Bruce do what he wanted. Link was just waiting for Bruce to be ready to go.

            Finally, the preparations were done. Link waited patiently by the corral where Kaepora and he had trained for many years. It was probably the first time he had been there in the daytime. Kaepora walked out with a few other knights. The Head Master waved at Link from the other side of the ring.

            Bruce walked up with The Wind. He asked as he mounted, “You know the rules to the race? A lap around the corral. I don’t think I have to tell you how to tell who wins.”

            “Nope,” Link added, having watching several of these races himself. And also knowing how a race worked.

            The knight mounted his horse. Link climbed up into Epona’s saddle. Bruce shouted across the ring. “Who’s got the clock?” Kaepora raised his hand and smiled back across the corral. Bruce shook his head. “Of course you would.”

            “If you’re ready.”

            Bruce waved across at the Head Master. Link motioned as well. Kaepora shouted,” Then on your mark.”

            Link took Epona’s reins a little tighter in his hands and leaned into his saddle. “Get set.”

            He took a deep breath. He knew what he was doing. And it nothing else, Epona know what she was doing.

            “Go!”

            Link didn’t even ask. Epona just went. Link leaned over the horse’s head, trying to hang on. Epona charged on around the track, barely noticing her rider. Link couldn’t even look to see where Bruce was.

            Epona slid to a halt and reared as she leapt over the finish line. Link was jerked to a halt. “Now you’re just showing off.”

            Bruce and Wind trotted over the finish line. Bruce’s jaw was slacked a little as he looked at the horse. Someone shouted from the audience, “That’s a draft horse!”

            Rixa jumped up on the fence and shouted back, “No, that’s Din’ horse!”

            Epona tossed her head, responding to Rixa. Link patted the horse on her side as the mare pranced for the cadets. Bruce rode up beside him and said, “I should have taken your word for it.”

            “You should have backed out, like I told you.”

            Rixa walked up towards them, leaning on Bruce’s saddle. “I told you. No one can beat that horse. I told you that. The Goddess Din sent her, I know it.”

            “I know, I know,” Bruce replied, not looking at her.

            Link said, “It’s good to see you again, Rixa.”

            “You too, Grasshopper,” Rixa said. “I see you took me up on my offer.”

            “Yeah,” Link replied. “Nearly got me killed…”

            Bruce swung out his saddle. He wrapped his arms around Rixa and kissed her. Bruce said, “Rixa, I’m going to Frostbite with Link.”

            “But the scouts just got back from the arena. Your plan is going to work!” Rixa answered.

            “You’ll just have to finish it without me. This is a bit more important. Between the orders from the King and there being a Temple there-” Bruce replied before getting cut off.

            Rixa sighed. “I understand. You’re going to be back soon, right?”

            “That depends on how well you get this project started while I’m away,” Bruce replied. Rixa nodded. They kissed again before Bruce walked off. He looked back up at Link. Link turned away, trying to act like he hadn’t noticed. Bruce shook his head, and led Wind on. “Come on.”

            They picked up Bruce’s pack as they left the corral. As Bruce strapped it to his saddle, he asked, “How are we getting up there?”

            Link replied, “Epona and I could probably ride up the trail, but…”

            “No, Wind can’t,” Bruce answered. “Have you considered the train? We could get as far as the mountain village there.”

            “There’s another village on the way up to Frostbite?” Link asked.

            “Good thing you had me, or you’d be frozen by now,” Bruce joked. “Yeah. It’s a pretty small village. Doesn’t really have a name, or at least one we know. Most people who know about it call it Glenwood though. If should be a nice break before going into the thick of it.

            “Besides that, they’ll probably have something to keep us warm on the way up,” Bruce finished.

            “How did you know about Glenwood?”

            “Easy,” Bruce said. “I can read Ancient Hylian, and it was on Link’s map.”

            “How did you not notice this?”

            “I only started reading Ancient Hylian,” Link replied.

            “Of course…”

            Bruce said, “If you two are done, then we have a train to catch.” Bruce jumped into his saddle and rode on out of the village. Link glanced back at his home. There would be a day when he didn’t have to leave so quickly, but that wasn’t today. He asked Epona on, and rode out of the town…