Disclaimer: I do not own Link, Ilia, Collin, Mayor Bo, Rusl, Ranado, Princess Zelda or any other characters and places mentioned in this story that belong to Nintendo and are being used in this fan fiction for fair use as described in the U.S. Constitution.

Simply Meant To Be

Chapter 1: Child's Play

"Link, youre my best friend!"

6 year old Ilia said to a 7 year old Link as they were sitting by the Ordon Spring.

" When we grow up, we'll get married! And then we will always be together!" Link exclaimed getting up onto his knees.

"Really? Do you promise?"

"Yes! I promise, Ilia, me and you will always be together!" Link smiled and so did little Ilia. They both giggled and Link got up to his feet. "Race you back to the village!" Ilia got to her feet. "Okay!"

Link stated running and shouted "LAST ONE THERE IS A ROTTEN PUMPKIIIIN!" Ilia ran after him.

Link was being raised by a man named Rusl and his wife Uli. Five years ago Link was rushed into town on a small horse, unconscious. Rusl and Uli had no children and Mayor Bo and his wife had just had Ilia which had left her gravely ill and unable to take on another child. So Rusl and Uli took Link in having just moved to the small village themselves.

Uli was outside of their house feeding the cuccoos when she saw Link and Ilia running down the hill. "Hey! Slow it down there you two, you could get hurt!" She shouted over to the two speeding giggling children. "But if I do that then ill become a rotten pumpkin!" Ilia shouted, her voice shakey as she paced herself down the hill. Uli let out a soft chuckle as the two rounded the path and stumbled up to the front steps of the house. They both slapped their hands down on the first step at the same time gasping for air. Ilia looked up at Uli "Who was it?"

"Ooh, too close to call!"

Both children let out a groan, Uli laughed, "Alright come on you two. Ilia, you should get home and make sure your fathers cleaned up properly, you know how he gets." Uli gave a look at Link "And you, mister need to bathe, look at you all covered in dirt!" Link beamed up at Uli who gave a short laugh. Ilia giggled and stood up. "Alright. See you tomorrow Link, bye Uli!" She turned and walked home which was right across the creek that ran into the river and lake in the village. Link slapped up the stairs and went into the house followed by Uli.

Later that night, after Link had gotten cleaned up before he was going to bed. "Rusl?"

"Yes, Link?"

"How come I have this thing on my hand but you dont? No one else does either.."

Rusl took a moment and glanced at Uli who was sitting across the room and paused from her knitting. Rusl looked back at Link, "Well..Link...its because..youre special. I mean, you know you came to us when you were very young with Epona and uh, well we always knew there was something about you...that mark just proves it, I guess."

Link looked down rather unsatisfied with this answer, "Oh."

"Yeah.." Rusl mumbled and looked over to Uli with a triumphant look on his face, obviously thinking he had done an excellent job. Uli just rolled her eyes and put her knitting down and stood from her chair, "Alright, its time for you to get to bed little man." Link uncurled his legs and got up and followed Uli into the small room in the back of the house where his bed was. He climbed in and pulled the blankets over himself as Uli knelt down beside the bed. Once he was settled, she put a hand to his forehead and brushed the dirty blonde hair from it. "You know Rusl and I love you like our own son, right?"

"uh-huh."

"And you know that whatever happens we always will, right?"

"Yeah."

Uli smiled, "Good." She kissed Links forehead "goodnight, sleep well." she got up and walked out, blowing out the candle on her way and Link fell asleep.