A Small Ordon Girl

Kakariko Village

 The afternoon was dry and dusty. Telma stood along the walls of Hyrule. The man in the green tunic and Ilia stood next to Telma. "So you say the bridge to the west is destroyed, huh? Then our only option is to cross the bridge to the east." decided Telma.

The three of them glanced down to Hylia bridge. King Bulbo was waiting for them, walking the bridge pacing.

Ilia wondered why one of his horns were cut short.

Telma continued to the young swordsman "You see what that means? You'll have to deal with that thing." The man put on a serious face and nodded. 

Temla's warned out wooden wagon was all packed up and ready to go. Ilia gently had the Zora child laid on a woven blanket. She placed a sack of flour behind the child's head to support it.  She knelt beside him with one hand on the boy's head. She looked out the window to see the man in the green tunic.

The man was mounted on his tan horse. Ilia looked at the man until he looked at her "Th-Thank you so much for this." Ilia had no clue why she was getting so nervous, but she had to ask him "Um if you don't mind me asking what is your name?" 

Her eyes stared at the ground, nervous and eager for a response. 

"Link," he said. His voice made her head perk up. 

"Link?!" Her reaction to his name made Link's eyes widen with hope. But then when she continued, "I will never forget, in all my life, your kindness, Link", Link drooped his head to the other side disappointed. Ilia was confused about why she got that reaction.

Telma, at the front of the wagon stirring a gray-white horse, leaned back and shouted at Ilia, "Little Lady, I think you'd best save your thanks until we're safe in Kakariko."

She pauses then looked back at Link. "This swordsman of ours has great eyes, honey. They are proud and wild like a feral beast. We need a beast right now, to keep the true ones at bay. If we make it to Kakariko safely, we'll just thank him then, ok?"

Telma blew Link a kiss and a wink. How could she not Link, is the most handsome Hylian in Hyrule.  Ilia heart stung a little.

Where are these feelings coming from?

Link had no reaction, just the same serious face he had always had, then a little smile came up back at Telma. Ilia just melted away; she did not want to look at Link again. She just ducked behind the window and waited until the wagon started to move. 

"You ready to roll, Link? You've got to protect these young ones on the way to Kakariko!" Telma shouted at Link once she whipped the horse reins. Without a word, in unity, both horses started to canter.  Link rushed ahead towards the Hylia  Bridge as Ilia wished him luck. 

The orange twilight afternoon was turning darker. They had reached the bridge of Hylia. Ilia peaked over Telma's shoulder. At the other end of the bridge was King Bulbo with two shields on each side of him. Telma commented "Ok, it's your turn, honey! We're counting you" 

"Hyah!" Link dashed onto the bridge. He galloped at King Bulbo. With his bow drawn, he shot it at Bulbo's torso. 

Only two arrows were shot. The King started to swerve on the bridge. His war hog hit the wall of the Hylia bridge and the Bulbo fell off the side. He plummeted into the lake below as a key flew into Link's hands. 

Telma directed the wagon through the bridge. "Nice honey, keep up the good work!" added Telma

The night was pitch black; it looked like it was empty. After seeing one monster, Ilia was terrified. Her skin tremored. She held the Zora boy tight in her arms for comfort. Ilia heard another crack of the reins and they kept on the quest to Kakariko. 

As the wagon turned again, Ilia heard the goblin shoot of many arrows. Tears started running off her cheeks. As she looked out the window a goblin was pointing a fire arrow at her.

Time seemed to slow down, as the goblin drew back his bow, and the shaking of his aim became steady, another steel arrow pierced through his head. The goblin dropped from the high rock and made a thud on the dirt.

The arrow was Link's arrow.

The stab of an arrow hit the wagon; fire ignited on the wagon's white cover. The fire was eating away the cloth and an amber rain of embers fell on Ilia and the Zora child.  The smoke was so noxious. Ilia could not stop choking on her breath. 

Link was too far behind.

"Hyah", he galloped closer.

"Hyah!" he was a little closer but still too far. It was still pitch black outside. She could only see the aqua glow of Link's eyes. Link shook his head in disbelief that he could lose his childhood friend. He took out an ivory boomerang laced with vine green.

It created a tornado of wind, the wind extinguished the fire. Ilia gasped in relief and whispered,

"Thank you, thank you so much!"

He just replied with a smile and nod. 

For a brief moment, they stopped. Link dismounted his horse and opened a gate covered in blood red writing. Telma continued through the gate, into Hyrule Field as many new monsters appeared. 

Ilia closed her eyes. She didn't want to see anything else die. Link kept them safe until they reached Kakariko village.

Telma made her final stop. Ilia held the boy and jumped out of the cart. "Renando where are you this boy needs help!" Ilia cried hysterically. Renando ran out of his house and knelt down to Ilia's level.  

"What is it that you need my child?" Renando asked with a hand on her shoulder and the other behind Zora child's head.  

Ilia sobbed cascades of tears; you could barely understand her words "You need to help this child. He is sick and no one has cared to tend to him! You must do something now, please!" Renando picked up the boy from Ilia's arms and led her to the abandoned inn. 

Ilia, Link, and Telma waited outside until Renando was done. "Ilia you may see him now."

Ilia ran upstairs and sat next to the boy, holding his hand. 

Link waited outside with a little blonde boy. 

Another girl came into the village. "Hello, I am Luda" she greeted.

Ilia gave her a faint smile. "Hi, nice to meet you Luda. I can't remember my name"

The girl laid her hand on Ilia's back. "I know, a man in black told me to tell you that he will keep an eye on you while you are here. Also that he will be back with pieces of your past next time."

"Thank you Luda," Ilia was confused again. 

Wasn't it a wolf that had told something about her memory?