Chapter 2: An Unexpected Reunion

"Link?" The feminine voice came from behind him. "Is that really you?" Link spun around, wondering who could have recognized him. It seemed that everyone in Ordon had no idea who he was.

A girl stood there, her long black hair framing her elfin features and falling in her eyes. She wore a black dress that fell to her knees, simple and yet flattering. Her ears were pierced severally, and a bewildered look graced her beautiful face. "How did you recognize me?" he questioned.

A smirk crossed her lips and she ran to him. "You're back!" she cried, throwing herself on him. "You've returned! I always knew you would!"

Link was puzzled. He did not recognize this girl. Who was she?

The girl pulled back suddenly. "Don't you remember me?" She looked hurt. "Evony."

Link was astonished. She was so changed, he couldn't believe this was the girl he had grown up with. She was more beautiful than he had imagined her, even more beautiful than the rosy memory he had cherished of her through everything. A crooked smirk crossed his face, and this time, he hugged her. "Evony! I didn't recognize you! You've changed so much! Oh, I've missed you! I've missed you!" He lifted her up by the hips and spun her around. They laughed together, and for a moment, it was just like before.

Link set Evony down, and she smiled. He loved her smile, it was warm and true, just as he had remembered it. "What happened to you?" she asked. "Everyone said you'd been killed! I was so afraid-"

Link placed a hand on her arm to quiet her. "I had to take care of a few things. But don't worry. I'm back now. And I'll never leave again. I promise."

Evony shook her head. "It's too late, Link. I've already found someone else." She held out her hand to show him the ring. It was a simple thing, just a ring of pounded silver with a small gem inlaid in the band. But somehow, that simple ring tore Link's heart in half. "I waited for you. I wanted you to return. But months passed, then years. Even my father began to say you wouldn't return. I insisted you would, but you didn't," she looked up at him, and tears sparked in her eyes. "It's been seven years! Seven! How could you just leave me for seven years? You never told me anything. I began to think that maybe you had been killed. I began to look at others. Still you didn't return. Tyra's good. He loves me. He won't leave me alone."

Her last words tore into Link like a sword. He had left her with no word for seven years. He didn't deserve her, and he had been stupid to think he could have simply returned like nothing had happened. But still, Link couldn't bear to lose her. "Evony, I need you-"

"No, you don't," Evony lifted her head high. Her voice, no longer quavering, was hard and her jaw set. "You don't need me. If you did, you wouldn't have left."

"Please-" Link was breaking. His heart was torn to shreds. "You can't leave me like this!"

"You left me. You lived without me for seven years. Now you can do it forever."

Link couldn't believe she was killing him like this. There was nothing here for him but her, and if she rejected him, he didn't know what he would do. "Evony-"

"I don't care! I'm sure you have some girl in some other kingdom! Go back to her! I never want to see you again! Get out of here! You don't belong here anymore!"

Link began to run. As a final thought, he turned back to look at her, silently begging her to change her mind. "Just go!" Evony screamed, and Link turned and ran until he was far from the cruel stares and heartbreak he used to call home. But as he turned away, he thought that, just for a moment, he caught sight of a tear running down her cheek.