Ilisa ran down the alleyway, clutching Link to her chest. Her green eyes darted frantically across the ground, searching for the drainage grate that led to the escape route. Not far away, she heard the sound of the gate being broken down, and she knew the Gerudo were inside the walls of Castle Town. She chanced a look behind her and saw several Gerudo running past her alley. Ilisa knew it was only a matter of time before it was searched. She turned onto a street and immediately spotted an abandoned stall, running to it and ducking underneath. She heard several female voices speaking in a strange language, and then footsteps began walking up towards her stall. Walking…

Was I seen? Ilisa thought frantically. She caught herself hyperventilating and calmed herself as the Gerudo's footsteps approached. Link, thankfully, was asleep and would not give them away with his baby babble. Ilisa looked at the ground and saw the Gerudo's purple shoes standing right outside the stall. Suddenly, a glaive pierced the cloth that was hiding her and withdrew. She almost yelped, but caught herself once again. The Gerudo began to walk away slowly. Too slowly…, Ilisa thought. She's coming back! What do I do? Ilisa looked around frantically for somewhere else to hide in the stall. The left side of the stall was wide and had a column of drawers running down it. Hoping it was enough to hide her if she crouched low enough, she quickly moved behind it. Not a moment too soon.

The Gerudo's glaive suddenly cut the cloth that was formerly hiding Ilisa and it fell to the ground, exposing the cobblestone beneath. Ilisa risked a glance over the counter and saw the top of the Gerudo's head. She quickly crouched down lower, her eyes scrunched shut, praying to the goddesses.

"Huh," said the Gerudo. She ran back towards the alley and had another brief conversation. Then two pairs of footsteps ran away down the alley. Ilisa sat there for a moment, still in shock. Adrenaline was telling her to move, but her mind, though still frantic, had enough sense to know that the Gerudo hadn't reached the end of the alley yet. She waited a full thirty seconds before finally standing up and walking quietly back towards the alley. She listened carefully before stepping back in and running down it once more. Within seconds, she found the grate and set Link down next to it. With a heave, she lifted it up on its hinge and propped it against the wall. The heavy metal grate made a clang as it struck the stone wall, but Ilisa was sure that it was just her nerves that made it seem so loud. Nonetheless, she immediately picked Link up and cradled him in the crook of her arm before beginning to climb down the ladder, closing the grate behind her. It was difficult to climb down with just one hand, but she managed it.

At the bottom of the ladder was the underground waterway that fed the fountains that dotted the city and led out to Lake Hylia. The water was freezing and shin deep, and Ilisa quickly waded to a sidewalk of sorts that was used for maintenance. By the dim light filtering in from the grate, she could see a rack with Deku Sticks mounted on it. These Deku Sticks had the tips coated in a special substance that ignited with friction. Ilisa took one and scraped it across the rough wood of the rack. The substance ignited, revealing the slimy walls of the waterway on either side of the rack. Ilisa took a moment to go over the route in her head before setting off through the waterway.


Nakiro left the house she had just looted laughing. Her pockets were stuffed with jewelry and gold, and her arms had about ten more bracelets than normal.

These Hylian are such fools!she thought.Honestly, who just leaves their valuables out in broad daylight? They're practicallybeggingto be robbed!She laughed again as she turned a corner.

"Nakiro!" called a voice. Nakiro turned to see her friend Suri walking towards her with a naked scimitar in her right hand. Nakiro was struck yet again by how beautiful Suri was. She wished that Suri would like her, but it was only a wish. Suri had already proven on more than one occasion that men were her fancy. Nakiro shook her head and gave Suri a quick bow, which the elder Gerudo returned.

"Nakiro, I saw torchlight coming from under a grate. I think there may be someone in the waterways." Suri smiled. "They might be someone rich trying to escape with their valuables. I'll let you share the loot if you come with." Nakiro brightened immediately.

She's inviting me to come with her!she thought excitedly. "Of course I'll come with you!"

Suri nodded. "Okay, follow me." She passed Nakiro as she ran towards the end of the street. "The light looked like it was heading this way, and if the waterways were planned to match the city… aha!" Suri stopped by a grate, and crouched down next to it. Nakiro watched as the elder Gerudo lifted the grate and slid down the ladder. Nakiro followed, landing with a splash beside Suri, who gave her a dark look.

"Quiet!" hissed Suri. "They might have heard that!" Nakiro nodded solemnly and waded over to the sidewalk with Suri. "Listen," Suri whispered. Nakiro strained her ears and heard faint running footsteps. In the dim light, she saw Suri grin. The elder Gerudo raced of toward the sound. Nakiro sighed and followed. That was the other thing about Suri; she preferred muggings to simple burglary. There were a few stories of Suri actually waking up the people she was robbing just to get a little thrill. Nakiro could see the torchlight coming up the wall.

This guy had better be filthy rich, Nakiro thought as she ran towards the corner. Suddenly, the person holding the torch rounded the corner, causing Nakiro to shield her eyes from the sudden increase in light. Next to her she heard Suri say, "You have got to be KIDDING!" Lowering her hand, Nakiro saw a young blond woman holding a tightly wrapped, sleeping baby close to her chest. The woman's face displayed fear and shock as she took a step back. Suri brandished her scimitar, and the woman jumped and took another step back.

In halting Hylian, Nakiro said, "Give us your gold and we'll go." The woman shook her head.

"I have no gold. All I have is my son." She clutched the baby closer. "Please, just let us go. Please." The woman was very pretty, and Nakiro hated to see such a beautiful woman like this, even if she was Hylian. She turned to Suri to try to convince her, but Suri was already walking towards the woman.

"Suri!" Nakiro called, but Suri would not listen. She bared her teeth at the woman as she slowly advanced, swinging her scimitar back and forth like a snake.

"Where's the gold, lady?" she said threateningly. "I know you Hylians wouldn't leave your homes without your valuables." The woman shook her head and took another step back.

"I'm telling the truth. All I have is my-"

"STOP LYING!" Suri shouted.

"I'm not lying!" the woman cried, tears beginning to fall down her face. "I only brought my son! Look, I'll tell you where my house is, but please, please let us go, please, you can take anything you want, just let us go, please…" The woman's words grew ever faster as her sentence ran on and on, tears streaming down her face as Suri slowly advanced, still swinging the scimitar back and forth.

"Suri, come on," Nakiro said, reverting to her native tongue. "Look at her, she can't be lying. Suri come on!" But Suri would not listen. The woman had run out of sidewalk to back up on, as she had not turned back around the corner. She was babbling frantically, her green eyes following the scimitar's every move.

"I told you to stop lying," Suri growled, raising the scimitar to the woman's throat. "Give. Me. Your. Gold. Bitch!"

"I DON'T HAVE ANY!" the woman screamed. She brought her foot up and slammed it into Suri's gut, making the Gerudo cry out and double over. The woman ran past Suri and past Nakiro, holding her son tight to her chest.

"YOU BITCH!" Suri yelled, whirling around. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

"Suri, no!" Nakiro cried. But it was too late. Suri drew her arm back and hurled her scimitar after the woman.

Ilisa heard a whooshing noise, then suddenly pain erupted through her abdomen. She cried out and looked down to see something thin and red protruding from her stomach. She felt behind her and felt the hilt of that Gerudo's scimitar protruding from her back. Behind her, she heard the younger Gerudo shout something at the older. It was probably in Gerudonian, but the pain was so great that she barely heard it at all. She realized that she hadn't taken a breath for at least five seconds and inhaled deeply. The air felt good as it went down her windpipe, cool and smooth. She kept breathing, barely aware of the argument going on behind her or of the baby she held in her arms above the blade protruding from her stomach. She wasn't even aware that she was swaying. All she could focus on was the rush of air in and out of her lungs.

Breathe, she thought. Breathing is good. Breathe. Oh holy Farore have mercy. Breathe. goddesses. Oh great goddesses have mercy. Breathe. Just breathe. Brea- "AUGH!" She screamed and fell to the ground as the scimitar was wrenched out of her. With vision blurred by sheer pain, she looked up to see the older Gerudo sneering down at her. Then she turned and climbed up the ladder to the streets of Castle Town. She felt a pool of blood beginning to spread out from her as footsteps approached. The younger Gerudo knelt next to her with tears streaming from her eyes as she put her hands on Ilisa's wound and applied pressure.

"I'm so sorry!" she cried. "I d-didn't know she w-would do that!" She pulled one of her hands (now covered in crimson blood) away and produced a small vial of yellow liquid. "This is Gerudo Medicine. It won't heal you completely, but it will stop the bleeding and dull the pain for ten hours at most." She uncorked the phial and rubbed the Gerudo Medicine into Ilisa's wound. Immediately, the pain began to dull, and Ilisa's vision began to clear.

"Thank you," she said hoarsely. The Gerudo tore her dress and began to wind the fabric tightly around Ilisa's abdomen. "Why… Why are you helping me like this?" The Gerudo shrugged.

"I… I don't know. I guess… I guess I'm doing it because I want to. I don't really hate you Hylians. I don't know what King Ganondorf has against you that he started this war." The girl looked away for a moment. "Do… do you think that… maybe if we met under different circumstances… maybe… we could have been friends?" Ilisa was taken aback.

"I… I think so… Yes. Yes, I do think we could have been friends." Ilisa picked Link up (I didn't even know I'd dropped him! she thought), and slowly got to her feet. "What is your name?"

"Nakiro," the girl said, looking relieved. "My name is Nakiro."

"I am Ilisa," said Ilisa. "Thank you for everything, Nakiro." Nakiro bowed.

"I only hope you can get proper medical attention before the medicine wears off," she said. "Farewell, Ilisa. May the Sand Goddess bless your soul." With that, Nakiro climbed back up the ladder and out onto the streets of Castle Town. Ilisa turned and continued down the route as if there were no hole in her stomach and the whole encounter had never happened.

Who knew the Gerudo could be so friendly? she thought. She shook her head. Never mind. I need to find a healer. But the war is still going on, and I'm going to be coming out somewhere near Lon Lon Ranch. And I know that they don't have what I need there. She shook her head again. I don't think anyone besides the goddesses have what I need. I need a miracle. Come on, Ilisa think! Then suddenly, it clicked.The Kokiri Forest! They say the Kokiri are great healers, and it's only about half a day's walk from Lon Lon! Ilisa nodded. That's where I'll go. Kokiri Forest. It's my only hope. She reached the dead end.

All right, what did Isaac say? The red stone in the middle of the wall… She held the dying torch closer to the wall and found it. Two up and three over… She pushed on the stone and heard the secret door unlatch. Ilisa threw her weight against the wall and it slowly opened. Stepping into the musty corridor, she saw another Deku Stick rack. After making a new torch, she set off down the corridor that would take her out neat Lon Lon Ranch.


*Hero of Time*


It was late at night when Ilisa stumbled through the hollowed-out log and onto a bridge. Around her, crows cawed and forest spirits swirled through the air. If she had more time she could appreciate the magic of the forest. But she did not have time. She was going to die soon and she knew it. She turned her head down and spat out more blood. She'd been doing that for an hour now and the piece of fabric that Nakiro had tied around her wound was now warm and wet with her blood. She was very lightheaded and was unsteady as she walked. Only the constant weight of Link in her arms kept her from lying down and dying right there. She had to secure his future. It was too late for her but she knew the Deku Tree could do something for her son. It had to…

Across the bridge was another hollowed-out log that led into a huge clearing. The sides of the clearing were lined with huge stumps with rectangular doors that led inside. Ilisa figured they must be houses for the Kokiri. Suddenly, she fell to her knees and retched, splattering the grass with gobs of red blood. She retched and retched. When it was over, she stood carefully and wiped her mouth. She tottered for a moment, and then hands supported her. She looked down to see a child with green hair and blue eyes looking up at her with fear in her eyes. The child could not have been more than ten years old, but she had this air of wisdom about her, as though she had lived far longer than her body suggested.

"Um…" the girl began, "my name is Saria. Who… who are you and why are you in our forest?" Ilisa started to speak but only a rasp came out. She coughed forcefully and tried again.

"My name is Ilisa. I have come to ensure a future for my son, Link. I… I am going to die." She gestured at her blood-soaked dress. "But he… he can live on." Her voice was so raspy, she half expected that Saria would run away screaming "Lizalfos!" But she did not. She took Ilisa's arm.

"I will guide you to the Great Deku Tree. He will decide the fate of your son." Ilisa and Saria walked across the clearing together, being quiet so as not to wake the sleeping Kokiri. Eventually, they reached a separated pathway that led in an S-curve to a huge meadow. Ilisa gasped. In front of her stood the most gigantic tree she had ever seen. Its trunk was easily a hundred-fifty feet wide and two-hundred fifty feet high. The branches were so long and high that they made a canopy of leaves over the entire width of the meadow. But the most astonishing part was theface.Two huge knots in the bark made eyes, and moss made a mustache and eyebrows. A huge hole opened at the base of the trunk and a voice emanated from it. It was the voice of an old man, yet it had such life and power that Ilisa felt the ground vibrating under her feet. This is what it said.

"Saria, my child, what hast brought thee hither?" Saria stepped forward and bowed deeply.

"Great Deku Tree, I bring a wounded traveler of the name Ilisa. She is going to pass soon and wishes to have her son taken care of when she is gone."

"I see… Ilisa, come hither." Ilisa nervously stepped forward, then began to wretch again, falling to her knees once more. She felt Saria's hand at her back and took comfort from her touch. When the fit was over, Ilisa stood and looked up at the Deku Tree.

"I see thou art pure of heart. What is thy hope for thy son?" Ilisa coughed a little before laughing and replying.

"What does any mother want for her child? I wish for him to grown into a strong young man. I wish for him to have a good life. I wish for him to…" She thought suddenly of Nakiro, and her eyes softened as she looked down at the baby in her arms. "I wish for him to make peace most of all." Her eyes filled with tears as she realized she would never get to see him grow up. "I… I want him to make peace. This is my wish for him." Suddenly, a large congregation of forest spirits huddled around Link. Saria's eyes widened. Ilisa looked down at her and asked, "Wh-what's happening?"

"The… The Great Deku Tree is attempting to see your son's destiny…" Ilisa gasped and looked back down at her son. Several minutes passed before the forest spirits dispersed and the Deku Tree spoke.

"I see that thy child hath great purpose. He shalt go through great toils and hardships to become a great hero." Ilisa gasped.

I suppose I was right to name him after a hero, then. She smiled down at Link for a while.

"You're going to be a great hero, Link! I knew you were destined to do great thi-" Suddenly, she erupted into the most violent fit yet, a stream of crimson flowing from her mouth. She hugged Link close to prevent covering him with her blood. The world seemed to grow darker with each heave as she spilled her lifeblood out onto the grassy floor of the forest.

"Thy end groweth near," said the Deku Tree as Saria gently took Link from Ilisa's arms. "If thou dost wish it, I can ease thy pain. It will help thy passing."

"That… that would be nice," Ilisa whispered. She hadn't the energy to speak aloud. The world grew ever darker as she lay on the ground. Slowly, her pain ebbed away. "Saria," she rasped. "Saria… let me… see… my son…" Saria knelt beside her and held Link in her vision. Ilisa gazed at her son as her sight grew darker and darker. She reached out to touch him. Halfway there, the world suddenly grew bright again, and she could see like never before. Everything stood out as though in the brightest sunlight, everything was crystal clear. She focused on Link's eyes, his beautiful sapphire eyes. The eyes of his father.

Isaac… she thought faintly.

"Ilisa, come!" She looked up to see Isaac kneeling next to her, offering his hand to her. Her hand changed course from her son to her husband, and his grip was strong. He pulled her from her body, and she looked back to see the empty shell's hand fall to the ground. She looked at Saria, whose hands were raised to her mouth in a gasp as she realized that Ilisa had passed. She looked at Link, whose eyes were staring at his mother's lifeless body. She looked back at Isaac."He'll be fine, Ilisa. Come, it is time to move on." Ilisa took one last look at Link. She felt herself begin to float upwards. She closed her eyes.

Goodbye, my son.


Please review! It lets me know your thoughts and makes me feel super-special-awesome!

Until next time.

-Norkix-