The Hero's Return
Ilia stood at the entrance to the village. She had been standing there all day.
She was waiting.
Far away from her a man on a horse rode swiftly across a field. Any other day he would have stopped to observe the gorgeous place. The grass was soft and bouncy, the trees whispered to each other in the wind and the steam glinted in the dying sunlight. But Link had no time to waste.
He was in a hurry.
Ilia and Link had been childhood friends; they had grown up together in the peaceful village of Ordon. She grew, learning women's skills as she did: sewing, cooking, raising a family. He trained to take over his friend's business: Goat herding. None of the townsfolk had been surprised when Ilia and Link began seeing each other romantically. They all fully expected Link to propose to her. However it wasn't as plain-sailing as everyone had expected.
On Ilia's seventeenth birthday, when Link was nineteen, he proposed. Ilia accepted but, before anything could be arranged, war was declared on the nearby province of Lanayru. Ordon is in the Ordona province and when war was declared it was decreed that every able-bodied man was to serve in the army. And so, Link and all the other men, save two, left Ordon to fight in the war.
The two men that were left were old and had stayed behind to run the farms and feed the families. Many women cried and begged their husbands not go and fight but the men had no choice and had to leave their women's arms.
That all happened four years ago. Now, as Ilia stood by the gate she thought about the news that the village had received a two days ago.
The postman had arrived, out of breath from running so hard, to tell the village that the Lanayru province had won the war!
"So then, our husbands will be returning?" Cried the Rusl's wife.
"Oh yes. Within a few days." He had replied assuredly.
Since then, Ilia had waited every day for her fiancée's return.
All the other men had returned the day before and Ilia was beginning to worry. The soldiers assured her he was on his way.
Link had his horse, Epona, at a flat-out gallop; he was desperate to get home.
As the sun set though, Link came to a stop. He knew better then to travel at night, as that's when all the thieves and bandits come out. He settled down under a tree, fed Epona and went to sleep.
Two men crept across the field, as quick and quiet as foxes. It was some time past midnight and it was pitch black except for the little flicker of light that Link's camp fire gave off.
That's where the men were heading.
They stayed low, creeping up to the fire. As they got closer their features were revealed by the firelight. They were complete opposites. One was short and stubby with greasy hair and a face like a tree. The other was tall and lanky, with bright blonde hair and dark distrustful eyes.
"Well… What have we here?" Hissed the taller man. He pulled back Link's quilt and peeked at his sleeping face. "Hmm… Quite young, strong body, fiery red hair… He's not too bad looking."
"Oh B-be quiet!" snapped the stubby one "We're here for the valuables, not for the b-boy!
"I was just looking" Mutter the younger one.
Together they searched his bag and saddle packs. Epona had woken up but hadn't done anything. She just looked blankly at the two fellows.
"Should we take his clothes" Whispered Skinny
"We'd have to k-kill him for that" He had a look. "They d-do like quite expensive…" He drew out his knife and it glinted eerily.
Link opened his eyes suddenly!
The next day, Ilia was heading back up to the gate. She was looking rather tired; she'd not been sleeping well recently. Suddenly Ilia's mother approached her.
"Ilia… Maybe he's…He was a hero, we all know that. But maybe… Maybe he died a hero." She said gently.
"He's not dead!" Ilia yelled "He's not and he's coming back for me!"
She ran back to the fence and sat there crying. She didn't stop crying until she heard the quiet clip-clop of hooves.
She looked up but, of course, it was just Old Fado leading an escaped goat back to the pasture.
"Oh… Fado…" Ilia said weakly.
"Morning, Ilia. Waiting on the 'Ero's return?" Old Fado said cheerfully.
"He will come back!" Ilia snapped angrily.
"Oh, I believe you. 'E sure is taking 'is sweet time though, eh?" He grinned and his eyes seemed to twinkle. "The missus 'as got your weddin' dress all ready. Mighty pretty thing it is too." Fado began to cross the bridge out of the village. "If I see 'im, I'll tell 'im to 'urry up!"
Ilia smiled and sat down again. She picked up some daisies and made a chain for herself. After, her thoughts began drifting to her wedding…
When she woke up it was again to the sound of hooves. She jumped up excitedly as she saw a tall, slim and well-built man leading a horse across the bridge. She ran towards the horse, recognising it as Epona but stopped when she realised it was Old Fado leading the horse.
As he got closer, Ilia noticed the limp, bleeding body on Epona's back.
"He's not…he's not… Is he?" Ilia stuttered.
"I'm sorry, darlin'. 'E couldn't fight no more…"
Back in the village, everyone mourned for Link's death and mourned deeper when they realised how it had happened: He had made it back from the war, but had been killed on his way to meet his true love, for the value of his clothes and the money in his pack.
"So much for 'appy return o' the hero…" Old Fado whispered tragically.