"WHAT?" Jay practically yelled. "She's_Lia, is that what you're saying? And_you didn't think she had died? Why did you lie to me, mom?" he said, pacing and sighing with exasperation.
"Because you didn't have to know why she'd left. She'd run away."
"Why'd she run away?"
"Because she believed that she was saving your life in doing so."
"Why?"
"Somebody had told her she would have killed you, should she be near you any longer."
"Yes," Lia said quietly. "I remember now. It was when we were little. That woman had called me over when we were playing. You waited for me out of hearing range, and when I got back, I told you she had told me that we would be friends forever. Maybe more than friends at some point. But with each other always. I didn't want you to worry. I wanted to protect you. She had told me that if I was around you, one day I would kill you. I was so scared. I didn't know what to do, so that night, I left. Without a single goodbye, without leaving a note. I didn't take anything with me. I left without a trace. I'm so sorry, Jay." she said, her tears streaking down her face. As she continued to talk, her crying became worse. "I was just so scared! I didn't – know – what to do, and – I didn't – I didn't want you – to die! I left, I ran away – because I was so – I was so scared! I just- " Lia cried. Jay cut her off when he hugged her. She cried into his shoulder.
"Shh. It's okay. I'm just glad you're safe." Jay said softly. Lia went on crying for a while. After about a half an hour, Lia sniffed and lifted her head.
"I think I should go tell my parents I'm okay." Lia said. She got up. "Bye, Jay." She went outside.
Lia ran through Hyrule Field. It was sunset, and she was almost to Castle Town.
"Damn, Hyrule Field is bigger than I remembered!" she said. When she got to Castle Town, she stopped to catch her breath. She then continued at a walk, and then went to Hyrule Castle.
When she got to the big double doors, the two guards were asleep. Careful not to wake them, she slipped through the crack in the doors.
Lia was uneasy about going right to the castle: nobody but her parents would believe that she was Lia. So instead, Lia decided to go to the horses' stables. Inside, all but one horse was asleep. All but one stable door was closed. Out of curiosity, Lia went in to the aforementioned stable. She very vaguely recognized the horse she was looking at, but by now, Lia was half asleep. The horse laid down. When Lia didn't react, the horse pulled Lia by her clothes onto its side.
"Sleep," she could almost hear it saying. "You look like you need rest. Go on, sleep."
"Mm-hm." Lia barely mumbled. Each time she blinked, her eyelids got heavier until eventually, they were too heavy to open again.
The next time Lia woke up, she heard voices. Or, really, a voice and the horse neighing.
"C'mon, Epona, you're being ridiculous." a man's voice said. The horse, Epona, whinnied.
"I can see she's asleep, can I at least see if I know her?" the voice said. Epona hesitated before doing anything, then moved slightly so Lia was visible. She heard footsteps come toward her, then the straw on the ground rustled slightly as if someone was sitting down. Lia didn't recognize the man's voice, but she was very curious, so she just barely opened one eye to look at him. As soon as Lia caught a glimpse of him, her eyes flew open and she gave him a hug.
"I'm home," Lia said. "I'm okay. It's me, Lia, papa." she said.