CHAPTER NINE

Link seemed to be tired all the time now. His lapis lazuli eyes were dull with fatigue, though he had arrived at Ordon early afternoon.

"Link!" Ilia had run to meet him, and had noticed the weariness in his face. "You look tired. The Midsummer Festival is in two days, can you stay for it?"

"I planned to," he'd replied. "It's great to see you again, Ilia." They had embraced for a minute in front of his house made from the tree, and then he pulled away from her and went inside.

He sighed heavily. He could not stop thinking about Zelda. It had been a year and a half since Midna's departure, as he called it, and there had not been a word from her at all. He wondered how she was doing.

Will you stop thinking about her? A voice in his head sounded annoyed. You were a farm hand. You herded goats. She's a princess, for the Gods' sakes. If you even think you had a chance- A loud pounding on his door interrupted his thoughts and he closed his eyes, exhaustion overwhelming him. But he got to his feet and walked over to the door.

It was Beth. "I'd heard you were back," she said quietly. "And I wanted to see you. Are you okay?" She had noticed the dull look in his eyes. "You must be tired." He nodded. She backed away and climbed down the ladder. "I'll go, then." She dashed off and was gone.

Girls. So weird.

He couldn't remember falling asleep, but he woke just before dusk, after the hour of twilight. He automatically thought of Midna, and what she must be doing right then. Being the princess and all, she was probably seeing to some important business or other.

She's gone, Link. He told himself roughly. She's never coming back. He held his face in his hands for a long time, forcing back his tears. "I'm supposed to be the Hero," he muttered to himself. "Hero's don't cry."

He pushed himself up and walked out the door. He needed some time to be alone. The Festival was the day after tomorrow, but he wasn't so sure he wanted to stay anymore. But he couldn't disappoint Ilia, she'd been waiting for him to return, it was perfectly clear.

Epona tossed her mane when she saw him, as if eager to be ridden, but he smiled and patted her nose. "We're not riding for a while, girl."

He kept his arms at his sides and walked into the forest. Link loved walking in the forest, he always had.

But now, since being the Hero, he thought he'd taken the beauty of the trees for granted. The rustling of the leaves in the warm summer breeze, the soft grass and the moss cloaking the bark beneath his fingers. The animals as the gazed at him with interest, then scurried off to feed their families. He smiled softly to himself as a small bluebird tilted her head at him with great inquiry, then fluttered off to a nest.

Link automatically turned to the Spirit Spring, where the great Spirit of Light, Ordona, resided in the shape of an Ordon goat.

"Link?" he turned and automatically reached for his Ordon sword, having returned the Master Sword to the pedestal in the depths of the Sacred Realm. He half-drew it, but seeing Ilia, standing on the sand by the entrance, he smiled and said, lamely, "Hi,"

"What's up?" Ilia walked toward him, where he stood ankle-deep in the spirit water. Her feet made no disturbance save for a few subtle ripples. "You seem… distracted, somehow."

"I've just been thinking." he turned away from her, back to the carved stones at the head of the Spring.

"About what?" he became consciously aware of her shoulder, so close to his own, her bright green eyes trying to follow his gaze.

"About Twilight." he murmured.

"The twilight is a strange thing to be thinking about." Ilia mused. "It's dusk."

"No, not that twilight." Link shook his head. "The Twilight Realm, bound to this world, like the dark side of a coin."

Silence.

"You miss her, don't you?" Ilia's voice was soft.

"Yes." Link had told Ilia about Midna soon after she destroyed the Mirror of Twilight and left the World of Light forever.

More silence.

"You've been so… different since I was kidnapped. All of a sudden, you hardly even speak to me anymore. You're so quiet, you hardly ever come visit, and I almost never know where you are half the time." She looked up at him, but he didn't meet her eyes. "I'm worried all the time. Since you saved the princess, there were rumors that you'd failed and been killed, and when you came to see us, I was so relieved. But you haven't been here since, and half the time I'm sure you're dead… or… or…"

Ilia's fears came forth with a tumble of tears.

Link felt an overwhelming urge to give her a hug, and he complied. "I know it's been strange, Ilia, and I'm sorry, but I can't live in Ordon."

"Why?" it was a fierce demand. "Link, I don't know you anymore." She wriggled her way out of his arms.

"Because of what I've done. I've killed, Ilia. I'm not a goatherd anymore. I never will be, not again."

Link turned away from the Spring and began to walk out. His boots made soft splashes in the sparkling water, and dusk began to change into night.

"Wait," Ilia was quickly at his side again. "Before the Link I know is gone forever, I need to do something." She stood on her tiptoes and softly kissed him. "Good-bye," she walked past him and left.

Link was standing stunned, his fingers numbly touching his mouth, his body frozen and amazed. As a child, he had always imagined Ilia and him together, but that future was lost now, because of his destiny.