so what, you think this is usual?
strange moon, strange land, strange man.
hold the hands of tiny horses,
hold them, hold them kindly, man
low red moon
how can you sleep like a baby,
but you shine so different on another
I look up, and I see
the raising of an old hope
brave and tattered
a shining knight with shining eyes,
he shines around me brightly
so now, I say this is beautiful
you made me cry when I was young,
now I got strong arms,
strong arms for a girl,
and I say,
he belongs to me
he belongs to me
Months pass and he visits her every once in a while.
When he arrives in Kakariko, the children leap at him, bombard him with questions. Talo grabbing his green tunic, Beth quickly latching her elbow with his, Colin dragging Link's old wooden sword behind him, struggling to match his pace.
Ilia stays further away, at a comfortable distance, but the happy shrieks of the children and Link's presence pull her towards where they're standing.
Her face breaks into a smile, and soon she is running towards him. Beth lets go of him, Talo and Colin remain behind.
And he's running towards her and she doesn't know who grabs onto who first, but he's holding her tightly and his breath is in her hair and her arms are around his neck and he is there, and that's all she needs.
After dinner, he helps her with the dishes. He doesn't speak.
Link never speaks.
The dishes are clean, the children are put to bed, Renado and Telma are on a walk, and the only people left are the two of them.
Link gives her a small smile, and only then does she notice the dark circles under his eyes, or the cuts and bruises on his face and arms.
She's applying medicine to his cheek on her bed when he abruptly winces and hisses through his teeth, making her jump.
"Hold still," she murmured. "You're making it go everywhere."
He doesn't apologize. He just chuckles. A giggle escapes between her pursed lips, and she has to take off the cloth before it leaks everywhere. Soon, he too erupts in laughter, and she has no choice but to roar in hysterics.
The feeling felt so odd. It had been a long time since she'd laughed, she'd almost forgotten the sound. Her stomach begins to ache and the only sound that can be heard are his deep breaths.
A flashback occures behind her eyes. How often had they spent hours together in the barn? Tending to animals, mucking stalls, spreading hay, sometimes doing absolutely nothing but laying on the hay—but always talking.
They fall asleep holding hands. Her cheeks burn as he places a soft kiss on her forehead.
Her eyes shoot open and she turns around, the moonlight reflecting off of his sword and shield. And before she can say anything, he's out the door. Ilia runs towards the window. She sees his receding back, clothed in green, his shield fastened on securely and his hat flapping in the wind. His strong legs are pressing Epona's sides, urging her on, keeping a fast pace as he rides away from Kakariko. And it makes sense. A hero doesn't belong in a tiny village working in a shop or tending to animals or spending time conversing with silly little girls. He's got better things to do.
Still, she wants to yell his name. Scream. Do something.
But she doesn't. And then he's gone.
Author's Note: Wow, okay, so. I ship these two so hard, honestly. I recently started playing Twilight Princess again and that just rekindled my love for these two. Also, the song Low Red Moon by Corinne Bailey Rae is literally perfect for this song. (I'm on a roll for finding songs for fanfics, buddy)
Disclaimer: I don't own Legend of Zelda or any of the characters.