Ilia leaned her head against his back.
They were going back to Ordon for a week.
They being she and Link.
She was more than glad that he had offered to take her.
She didn't want to go with the merchant again.
"You okay?" Link asked her.
She nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"Okay. It'll be another hour."
"Okay."
She leaned her head against his back again.
A whole hour.
She sighed and smiled as she dozed off.
She woke to Link gently lifting her off Epona.
She smiled and stood up shakily.
Colin and his two-year-old sister Andi ran up and grabbed her and Link.
She laughed. "Hello, Andi."
She looked up, her blue eyes shining.
"Hi!"
Ilia smiled. "Hi."
Colin grabbed Link's hand and pulled him towards the village.
"C'mon! I wanna show you something!"
Link laughed and followed Colin down the path
"How old are you now, Colin?"
"Thirteen."
"Wow."
He turned to Ilia.
"He's already thirteen." he whispered. She smiled and nodded.
"Look who's here." she said, motioning towards her father. Next to him stood Rowan and Maeri, with a six-year-old girl standing next to her mother.
When Ava saw her brother, she squealed and ran to him, arms held out as she grabbed him.
"I mithed you!"
"What?"
She looked up at him and beamed, pointing proudly at her teeth."
"What happened, Ava? Your teeth are gone!"
"They came out! I got a necklath!" she said, showing him the piece of jewelry.
"Cool."
Rowan came up to him.
"You're nineteen."
"Yeah, So?"
"Nineteen years..." he breathed.
Link chuckled and turned around. Beth was showing Ilia a piece of embroidery that she had made.
"I heard you're in love with her." Rowan said.
Link turned back to him, his cheeks red.
"W-What? Did Rusl tell you?"
"That, and it's kinda obvious. I think pretty much everyone knows."
Link sighed.
Ilia came up to him.
"I don't care what you say, you're coming over for dinner. Is that clear?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Good." she said, pecking his cheek.
He smiled and she slapped him playfully.
That night, after dinner, they went to the willow tree. Ilia sighed and sat on the bank when they got there.
Link sat down next to her.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, I just.."
He watched her carefully.
"Yeah?"
"Nothin'."
She sighed again and buried her face into his chest.
"I just...I missed you when you were gone."
"Ok."
She shivered, and he pulled her up close.
She smiled and kissed his cheek softly.
"Don't...don't leave me again."
He looked at her, surprised.
"Ilia, you know that I can't-"
She put her arms around his neck and kissed him gently, cutting him off.
He pulled back slightly, surprised, but then relaxed and kissed her back.
She smiled when they parted.
"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." she whispered.
He smiled and kissed her again.
"Link." Bo asked him the following day.
"Link, I have a question for you. It is rather...personal for that matter, but I want you speak the truth."
"O-Okay."
Bo sighed.
"Do you want to marry my daughter?"
Link froze.
"W-What?"
"You know that I've been trying to find a good husband for her for nearly a year, now. Am I right?"
"Y-Yeah..."
"She's rejected every single one of them within three days. Link, please. I'm desperate."
"What makes you think she'll marry me?"
"She knows you. She trusts you. She loves you, and you're a good man. What more could she want?"
"Someone who has more time. You ever wonder why I haven't visited up until now?"
"You're busy."
"Uh, yeah. I found her at Castle Town a few days after she got there four months ago. And during those four months I was able to visit her three or four times."
"Link, please. She needs to marry."
He sighed. "Fine, but don't complain to me if she rarely sees me."
Bo sighed with relief. "Thank you, Link."
He sighed and smiled.
"Alright."