A Small Ordon Girl

Fixing the Cloak.

Dark Link walked inside Renado's house with Ilia cuddled in his arms. Ilia started to shiver and her teeth began chattering. Dark Link knelt next to her little cot bed and laid her to rest. "Why are you putting me to bed?" asked Ilia.

Dark Link eyed her like it was a dumb question. "Because you still have some hours to get some sleep." He pulled the blanket over her shoulders as she curled herself up in her bed. "Also, you are freezing to death," Dark Link added as he laid his cloak over her.

"Eww! Don't put your cloak on me, it's ripped and full of dirt! And besides, don't you need sleep too?"

Dark Link snapped back, "You are the one who ripped it with my sword!" He paused, his face untighten, and had a deep, smoother voice as he said "I don't want to sleep. Sleep is a waste of my time. Unless there is a little lady waiting in my bed."

"AH!" Ilia yelled as she punches his arm.

Dark Link put his palm over where Ilia punched him."Gah! What was that for!"

"For trying to get me to fall for your tricks! Leave me alone!"

His face went straight. "Oh, I see I overstayed my welcome. Hopefully, that was your sleepiness talking." Ilia ignored him and turned to lay on her other side, giving Dark Link her back. "Sorry, if you thought that comment led you to believe I was meaning you." He moved his face to her cheek. "You couldn't get this anyway," he remarked as he kissed her cheek. Ilia shut her eyes, trying to believe he did not exist.  Dark Link walked himself to the door. He looked back at her and gave her a little smile. "Don't worry Ilia. I am always going to be in your life. You will like me someday."

Just like that, he was gone, and Ilia fell asleep.

Ilia opened to her eyes with her with blurred vision. A tan girl was kneeling beside her. Once her vision cleared she saw it was Luda. Ilia, remembering last night, whipped her head towards the covers. 

The cloak was gone. It was all a dream, Ilia thought. She dropped her head back on the pillow and sighed in relief. Luda tilted her head at her. "What were you looking for Ilia?" 

Ilia sat up and responded, "Don't worry about it Luda. It was just a dream. Oh, and good morning."

Luda folded her hands over her knees. "Good Morning Ilia. For a second I thought you were searching for that dirty old cloak that I found on you."  

Ilia's eyes widened instantly. "What cloak? Where?!"

Luda leaned back a little bit. She couldn't understand Ilia's franticness. "The one over there," she pointed to a black cloak hanging on the other side of the room.

Ilia held her head. "No! This can not be happening! I wanted it to be a dream. I wanted him to be a dream."

Luda kept a straight and serious face. "I am guessing you met the owner of the cloak. The one with the letters," she assumed. Ilia nodded. Luda sighed. "I know his personality can be harsh. If you knew him better you would understand. Also, you make it worse for him. You remind him of someone"

"Who!?"

"His secrets will only be unveiled to you through him. Now I assume that the rupee in the cloak pocket was for me to fix the cloak."  Ilia nodded her head. Luda stood up and took the cloak into the sanctuary under the house. Renado came in holding breakfast.

"Good day, do you remember anything?" Renado greeted. Ilia shook her head. He offered the tray of weird foods. "Here is your breakfast, this should help you retrieve some memory. Also, you are not allowed outside. There is too much evil lurking around." He gave Ilia the death stare. He got up and walked out. 

Ilia just sat around the house all day until nightfall.

How long will I need to live like this?

The sun was finally setting. Luda finally came back upstairs with the cloak looking brand new in her hands. "I finished repairing the cloak Ilia. Did the other cloak rip?"

Ilia was confused. "What other cloak?"

"I made two. I wonder what he did with the other." Luda didn't make eye contact with Ilia. They just conversed without expressions or looking at each other. 

"Do you know Dark Link personally?" Ilia questioned.

"Yes, very well."

"Then what is his name?"

"That is his secret to tell."

"He is never going to tell me!"

"That's most likely because you didn't play the cards right with him." Luda looks out the window. It's nightfall already. "I am heading to bed. Oh, and don't talk about Dark Link in front of Renado. My father does not know about him."

Ilia was becoming irritated. "Why am I in the wrong!?" Luda dropped the cloak on her and left. Ilia sighed. "Great, what am I going to do now?" She saw Link running by the house outside her window. She ran to the window but he ran by without noticing her. The flames burring on the torches around the room blew out. Ilia hugged the wall, fearing pitch black room.

"Why do you worry over someone you barely know?" said that condescending voice of his. Dark Link was really starting to get on Ilia's nerves.

"I just do! I don't know why. I guess because he saved my life."  Ilia's heart went hollow. Something changed in her. The way she thought about Link. Then she looked into Dark Link's crimson eyes. There was something she couldn't read about him. This curiosity slowly drives her to know more. 

"I saved your life too. Yet I actually speak to you. But if that is how it is going to be, I will not put up with you anymore." Dark Link turned and walked to the door.

"Wait!" Ilia shouted. Dark Link froze with his hand on the door. "I am sorry."

"For what?" he said blandly, staring outside the door. 

"For hurting you."

Dark Link dropped his hands to his side and started to cackle. The cackle was deep and ominous sending shivers down Ilia's spine. "You hurt me?" He laughed again, "That is not how it works. No one hurts me. People just get hurt themselves when they hit the walls I have built. It is not my fault that you can't handle me." He whipped that classic smile at Ilia.

"What? You're confusing me."

"Don't worry about it. You love Link, that's all. C'mon, let get some fresh air. You are too cranky in here." Ilia thought about what he said.

She loves Link.

It didn't make sense to her when Dark Link had done the same thing. And more. Dark Link added, "Ilia, wake up and stop standing around. Let's go already."

"Go where?" 

Dark Link rolled his eyes and scooped Ilia in his arms. "Excuse me, princess." 

Outside Dark Link carried her to the spring over Kakariko Village. Dark Link set her down. She laid her back against a rock as Dark Link sat in the spring. "Oh, I fixed your cloak," Ilia added, "Why are you in the spring with your clothes on?"

"I feel like it.  I took the cloak back already. So you still want to know my real name?" Dark Link asked.

"Yes!" Ilia exclaimed.

Dark Link chuckled. "Clam down Ilia. I am not telling you anyway."

"Why not?" Ilia whined.

"I just learned we can not be that way with each other. So I'll give you information so you can hate me."

Ilia was numb and cold. "Information like what?"

Dark Link fixed his eyes on her. "You memories are locked away in the Old Village."