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"He called me a child!" Elia sighed.

Dain patted the girl's shoulder gently. "You are a child, Elia. Didn't you just turn fifteen?"

"Months ago! In half a year's time I will be sixteen! My sister married at sixteen!" Suddenly, she realized what she was saying. She bashed her fist against the small table. "Goddesses!"

"Honey, the Goddesses can't help you. You have to help yourself, you know." She set down a small mug in front of the girl. "Drink this, honey, it'll warm you up and make you feel better."

"Ale…?" Elia blinked. She'd barely had a sip of alcohol in her life. But she was determined to be an adult. She downed it in one gulp, and soon found herself coughing.

"You were meant to sip it," Dain reminded her softly, smiling a bit. She poured more into the mug. "Have that when you're ready."

"It burns," grumbled the girl, coughing just a bit more into her hand. She peered at the liquid, as if it were now her rival. "You're not trying to get me drunk, are you, Dain?"

Dain gestured to the remaining men in the bar, who were slumped over the counter. "Drowning one's troubles never did anyone any good, eh? But a bit of the drink can help you relax."

"I don't want to relax! I want it to all be done with!"

"What, you want Link to be healthy so he can leave?"

Elia snapped her head up.

"Don't tell me you haven't thought about him leaving," Dain said, sighing.

"I'm such a fool! Ah, Dain…! Maybe I am a child after all." She put her head back into her arms.

"Maybe you are, sweetheart." Dain put a comforting hand underneath the brown tresses, massaging her gently. "And is that such a bad thing?"

"I don't know," muttered Elia. "I'm so confused."

"What's wrong with being a child, eh? You've seen firsthand how cruel the world can be; why hurry it along?"

Elia sat up, just a bit, leaning on her elbows. She took the mug into her hands, bringing it to her lips. She breathed in, letting herself take the tiniest of sips. "You think I'm a child, too, don't you?"

"The truth is, Elia," Dain told her in a sympathetic voice, "is that ever since I met you, I knew you were not a child but an adult. Age doesn't matter in these things. You act like an adult, work like an adult… You have grown up so fast, I just wish you only could be a child."

Elia was surprised. She looked down at her drink before taking another sip. "Why does he think I'm a child, then?"

"Perhaps he wishes it too?"

Elia scoffed. "Yeah, right."

"Ah, so you know how he feels?"

"I really have no clue," the girl admitted. "I wish I did, though."

"Why not ask him?"

"Oh, yes. 'Link, um, excuse me? Do you think I'm a child or not, eh?'" She gulped down a bit more of the ale. "I think I'm adjusting to this."

"Don't get too adjusted, now," scolded Dain, pulling the mug across the table and out of Elia's grasp. "Perhaps it was a bad idea to give it to you."

"Because I'm a child, right?" Elia sighed.

"No, because it has brought out your annoyingly flippant side."

"Morre whishkey!" called a man at the counter from his drunken half-slumber.

Dain shook her hand, standing. "You run along home now, Elia, and I'll take care of those guys." She stepped forward to hug Elia tightly. "I wish there was more I could do to help."

"So do I," mumbled Elia, putting her eyes on the floor and her feet reluctantly towards home.

"You smell of ale!"

"I do work at a tavern," Elia said dryly as she worked on wiping up the table. The dinner dishes lay freshly soiled the howling wind was battering the unlatched shutters against the house, the fire dying in the fireplace--a thousand chores lay ahead and Elia was already drowsy.

"Your breath does, I mean," Link clarified. He was still seated at the table, dusting his lap of crumbs from the cake the two had just shared. "Were you drinking?"

"What, you think I'm too young to drink?" she snapped, crushing the wet towel into a ball in her hand. She tossed it over her shoulder, sending if flying to tumble clumsily into the washtub.

"What's got you so cranky today, Elia?" Link stood and pushed his chair in, leaning on it heavily. He staggered over to sit by the fireplace. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," Elia said. She walked over and pulled on the heavy black cloak that hung by the door. She groped for the lantern that usually hung there as well only to find it missing. "Where'd it go?"

"Where'd what go?" asked Link, pivoting in his seat. He moaned, finding his back stiff and sore, unaccustomed to this movement. To his relief, though, there was hardly any other pain. He was nearly better!

"The lantern--oh, wait, it's outside. I'll be right back." Elia disappeared out the door, struggling to shut the door in the harsh winter winds. She emerged in a moment to light the lantern using the fire, and then was gone yet again.

Link wondered what in Hyrule could be bothering her. Hadn't they been getting alone well recently? Oh, well, the thought, leaning back in the chair, if I'm annoying her, she'll be free of me soon enough. Once the snow is gone I will leave, and everything will be all right.

But he knew in his heart that was not true. Loneliness would return to both him and Elia when they separated. He tried to ease these thoughts by telling himself Elia would soon have more time to find other friends. And soon enough she would be old enough to marry. Surely some decent lad would fall for her.

It's easy enough to do, isn't it? part of him mocked himself. Link tried to make up for that, thinking, She's a nice girl. I'll be it's easy to fall for her. Especially if you're a young, prosperous lad with noble ambitions…

After a few minutes, the door swung open. Elia was cursing and her face showed a lot of pain.

"What's the matter?"

"That damned lantern--! I was holding it up to latch the last window and it shattered against the side of the house!" She held up her hand to show that it was dripping dark red blood.

Link got up as quickly as he could. He found a handkerchief on the table. "Give me your hand," he instructed Elia as soon as she'd taken her cloak off.

She complied, watching him tie it around her hand. The white cloth was soon red.

"I'll go get some potions," Link said. He stood up the straightest Elia had seen him since the wolfos attack and hurried to his room. He came back to see Elia struggling to tie another cloth around her hand, using her free hand and teeth.

"Let me do that for you," Link said, directing her over to the padded wooden bench next to the wall. His experienced hands quickly tied the bandage. "Drink this," he said, handing her the small bottle filled with red liquid.

She swallowed it, finding it tangy and thick. She hadn't had potion for many years; it was a luxury for most, necessary for only adventurers. Instantly she could feel her hand tingling. Still, Elia now felt woozy…

She woke up to find herself lying in front of the hearth. She thought that perhaps the events since waking up before were a dream, but she saw the bloodstained bandage on her hand and knew now that they had occurred.

Looking around, she saw that the fire had recently been tended, giving birth to big, hot flames, and that no dirty dishes were around. Had Link done this?

He came in, wearing his loose sleeping clothes: cream-colored pajamas that suited the hero very nicely. He came and, only hesitating a little, knelt on the floor next to her.

"You're getting a lot better," Elia noted, moving her head to make room for him. She was startled when he moved her head down gently to sit on his leg. The shock wore off quickly, though, and she settled down comfortably into the situation.

Link wondered why he'd done why he just did. He thought if he'd considered it a second longer his gesture would not have occurred. But Elia seemed comfortable enough with the side of her head resting against his leg, and he certainly didn't have any problems with it.

He's so warm, Elia thought, rubbing her cheek gently into the soft fabric. What am I doing? she thought a second later, but she pushed those thoughts away.

"Here," Link said.

A hand holding a small green candy appeared in front of her face. Elia took it cautiously. "What is this?"

"I bought this a few days ago from a peddler. It's very good. Eat it," he said, putting another one in his own mouth.

As her hand reached her face, Elia asked, "You went out?"

"Of course I went out. Do you expect me to sit around all day when you're not here?"

"I hope you don't stress yourself too much," Elia mumbled, putting the little rock like object into her mouth. It exploded with a minty flavor, and she sucked on it contentedly.

Link rubbed the top of her head a bit forcefully. "I'm a grown man, okay?"

"I know that," Elia said, her voice slightly messed up because of the candy in her mouth.

"You sound funny," he teased.

"So do you!" Elia turned herself so she was looking up at him. She was somewhat taken aback to see him looking right down at her with his unwavering sapphire eyes.

"Why do you always get so riled up around me, eh?" Link asked, moving the candy to his cheek so it wouldn't fall onto her face.

"Maybe because you're so infuriating at times?"

"Am I really?"

She shrugged a little. "I don't know."

Link looked up, gazing into the big flames of the fire. "Hey, Elia?"

"Yes?" She moved her eyes so that they were on the fireplace too, but she couldn't see what he was staring at.

"It'll be spring soon, won't it?"

"Another week and the snow will be gone."

He tensed. "I didn't know it was going to be that soon."

"You should have known, though," Elia said quietly, knitting her brows together, "You're practically better."

He heard the worry in her voice. "Aren't you happy?"

"Oh, yes," she stuttered, realizing how she'd sounded. "I'm happy for you."

Link smiled to himself. "Well, I'm not all the way better. My wounds might be healed, but my legs are far from strong, and I'm still quite stiff and sore in places."

"I'm sure Dain could give you a good massage."

"I'm sure she could."

Elia giggled. Calming down, she commented softly, "Really, though, this winter has gone faster than any I've had."

Link looked thoughtful. "What will you do when spring comes?"

"Ah, I expect I'll plant a good garden. We haven't had one around this house for a good four or five years, I imagine. Father always liked to plant these big yellow flowers, which my sister and I liked as well." She grinned mischievously. "She and I would sneak out and pick one or two each, and thread them through our hair. We fancied ourselves the finest young ladies of the town."

"I'm sure you were."

Neither of them could think of anything to say, so they savored the moment, sitting there enjoying each other's company. Elia turned again, giving Link a chance to look her up and down. He realized that her brown dress had a few holes in it, and that it was one of about three dresses he ever had seen her in.

"Oh, I need to catch up on my sewing," Elia said dismissively when he brought it up.

Then Link looked at her more carefully. "Elia, since I first met you I've noticed how slender you are…but you seem a lot thinner than you used to be." He thought for a minute, remembering eating with her the past weeks. "And you eat less."

"I've just not been very hungry," she lied, hiding her worried face under her brown waves. "Why are you bringing all of this up now?"

"Because you've been sacrificing everything for me! Your clothes, your time, your money--yourself!" he exclaimed. Link said more softly. "I…I don't know why I didn't see it all before."

Elia looked again into his concentrated blue eyes. She smiled.

"Forgive me, Elia," Link muttered, leaning in closer.

Before Elia knew what was happening, she felt the lips of the Hero of Time upon her own.

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