Author's Note: I apologise about the size of all these chapters, but back when I wrote them last year I didn't realise. This is set when Ilia and the children go to Castletown, before I got to this point in the game, and Link is in the Lakebed Temple. Please consider this AU! Good luck!
The cart rolled noisily
along the worn-out path that cut through Hyrule Field to Castletown.
The last time Ilia had travelled this way was when Link escorted her,
Telma and Prince Rallis to Kakariko. He had left soon after, and she
hadn't seen him in months. During that time her memory had returned,
but Link still didn't know.
Ironic really, Ilia
thought to herself. First she had been in the dark, and now he
was.
"Ilia," Colin poked her. "We're
here!" His eyes were bright; he was excited at the thought of
the festival, and also of the people who would meet them there. Talo,
Malo and Beth were also unbearably happy. Their parents, who they
hadn't seen in months, would all be waiting to see them. Ilia knew
that although she wanted to see her father again, he would not fill
the empty void in her heart.
She looked out of the
cart into the vast field. There, just as Colin had said, loomed the
large structure of The Castletown Bridge. She was startled by Renado
opening up the back.
"I'm afraid we're going to
have to walk over the bridge. I can't get the horse and cart up the
step, you see," he said awkwardly. Ilia realised just how much
she owed him. Renado hardly knew her, yet it was he who had unlocked
her memories for her. Already she felt as if she had known him all
her life. She helped him usher the children out of the cart. Beth and
Colin stretched their aching muscles. Talo yawned, and Malo looked
round in amazement. They had never seen Castletown before.
"Where
did Bo say to meet us?" Ilia asked, referring to her
father.
"Telma's Bar, I think," he replied.
"You'll have to lead the way. I have no idea where it is!"
Ilia
led the way, with Renado at the back, making sure the children didn't
stray away to look at the many stalls that had gathered for the
Beltani festival. The Beltani festival was held every ten years, to
celebrate peace and light in Hyrule. Of course, the land was far from
those things, what with the Twilight and that, but tradition must go
on.
They turned down the small alley that led to
Telma's Bar, and were greeted by Bo.
"Ilia!" he cried,
grabbing her into a rib-crushing hug. She hugged her father back,
letting all the pain and fear she had suffered out in a torrent of
tears. He led the small group inside, where the sound of parents
re-uniting with children could be heard in a sea of conversations.
"What's happened to all of you after you got kidnapped anyway?"
Bo said. They all sat round a large table that Telma had thoughtfully
put out for them, and each told their stories. When it came to the
part about the provinces no longer being ruled by twilight, or
Renado's statue moving, they all drew up at a blank.
"So
things moved for no reason, and monsters were attacked by an
invisible thing?" Rusl said. Colin nodded.
"It
was really scary!"
"Speaking of which, has
anyone seen Link recently?" Ilia asked. At that moment, Telma
walked in.
"I did, a couple of weeks ago,"
Telma replied. "Muttered something about heading to the Lakebed
Temple. I'm guessing you want to tell him you've recovered your
memory?" Ilia nodded. "He was helping the Zora's out, but I
hear he's been in that Temple for a week, and he hasn't come out. You
needn't worry though, he's probably nearly saved that last fused
shadow thing. And anyway, he wouldn't miss the festival!" she
exclaimed. Fado nodded in agreement.
"Link loves
traditional things. He'll be back soon."
