The Legend of Ilia

~Chapter 3~ Telma's Return

I crossed the long, swaying bridge over the gorge to Faron Woods. I had never walked far from my village before. The only exception was being kidnapped by monsters astride demon boars.

Faron Woods was eerily quiet, like most of Hyrule nowadays. No battle cries of wretched monsters, or the horrible sound of fire arrows whizzing by your ears. I passed Faron's Spring. It was surrounded by lush plantlife.

I waded through waves of tall grass and passed a strange character asleep outside his small hut. Not many people settled outside a village. Birds nested in his hair as he snored.

Not wanting to wake the odd person with the giant hair, I quietly passed him and continued to Hyrule Field.

As I stood out in the open horizon of Hyrule Field, I suddenly felt tired and hot. The sun glazed the back of my neck. It was a very long way on foot to Hyrule Castle, and I didn't even know where I was headed. I only wanted to escape Ordon, but I never imagined coming this far.

Walking over the grass, I squinted as a white covered wagon started chugging my way. It was being pulled by a black stallion, and holding the horse's reigns was, to my delight, Telma.

Telma was an old friend of mine, three years ago. She helped me settle temporarily in Kakariko Village. She owned the Castle Town bar and as flirtatious and outgoing as she was, she was still single.

Since the monsters of the land were banished for good, trade had increased greatly. It wasn't unusual to see covered wagons carrying goods across the overworld. I stood still as Telma approached me.

"Ilia! What are you doing?" she interrogated in awe.

"Telma..." I walked closer to the cart. "Telma, how many hearts have you broken?"

She hesitates. "Well, I... Oh, dear. You haven't got yourself down in the dumps because of the prince, have you?"

I nod shamefully and look down at my bare feet. "Telma, he had the nerve to return to the distant village and bring his wife. His wife!"

"Don't fret, child," Telma consoled me calmly, and smiled. "Link's obviously not in love with you. And hey... You know the legends of his bloodline, do you not?"

I shake my head. Legends? I thought Link was the legend.

"Well, his true origin's a mystery, but Link has been reborn time and time again in universes parallel to our own era. He's no ordinary Ordonian. Maybe someday our timelines will cross, but I know he's led a shameless trail of broken hearts. You're not the first. And you must know... He doesn't truly love the princess, as you think. His quest has changed him, leaving everlasting mental scars and battle wounds. He's just a heroic loner, destined to fulfill a dangerous and purposeful journey."