Chapter Eighteen: Healing Hurts

There were no more Bulbin patrols on the Eldin plains, so their only enemies were the bumps in the road that caused poor Ralis agony. The Zora panted in pain for much of the ride, and even blacked out for a while. Ilia sat in the back next to him and held his hand with a worried expression, unable to do anything else. Whenever Link would come back to check on the two of them, Ilia would avoid looking at him. She had been warming up to him, but she seemed frightened again after watching him fight. Her reaction to him stung, but there was little to be done about it. He could always talk with her later.

They stopped for a meal at a grassy spot just off the road, a lake ringed by pines and willows not too far away. Telma had food for the three humans, but was unable to bring any of the fish soup that she had made for Ralis. She offered some of the leftover beef to the prince, but he shook his head.

"That was cooked with onions. I can smell them. You humans can eat things like onions and garlic, but they are poisonous to my people." He lay on the cloak in the wagon and stared through the burnt hole in the canopy at the blue sky above. "I will be fine if I wait to eat."

Link came to a decision after hearing this and stood, leaving his half-eaten lunch on the small plate that Telma had given him, and went over to where Epona grazed nearby. The mare didn't lift her head as he approached, pulling up grass from the field contentedly. He went into the saddlebag and took out the fishing rod and tackle, and then turned to look at the lake not too far away. He didn't have any bait, but the lures that Colin made would probably work well. The last time he went fishing the sunfish were so half-starved that they bit at anything that went into the water, but this time the lake was large enough that the fish were probably well-fed.

Telma watched him curiously, and he could feel her eyes on his back as he walked towards the lake through the grass and wildflowers. The red-haired bartender hadn't shown any more of the fear or nervousness that she had when he was still under the influence of the beast of rage. She had accepted that he was the Hero of Hyrule and didn't treat him any differently, and now she had accepted that sometimes he could fight with an inhuman ability. Laron's words were kind as well, the Goron admitting that he was able to see him as person instead of the hero. It gave him hope that maybe some people wouldn't treat him differently.

He stood at the sandy edge of the lake in the shade of fine-needled pines, casting the line into the water. He had killed eighteen Bulbins a couple of hours ago, and now he was standing here fishing. He had to laugh at it; his whole life had become something of an oddity.

"Is fishing funny?" Midna's voice came near his ears again.

"No, I'm just thinking about how weird everything has been since we started. A lot of the stuff we've been through is so strange, I couldn't make it up if I tried." He slowly reeled the line in, trying to get the attention of something, but the fish showed no interest. Perhaps the water here was too shallow.

"Mm." The sound was one of agreement. "Link, I need to tell you something about the fight earlier. You probably didn't notice, but after you went into your rage the mark on the back of your hand lit up."

He stopped in the middle of casting the line back out, the fishing pole tilted back in his hand. "It did?" That meant that he was using his magic somehow, but how would it apply to the fight? It was supposed to protect him.

"It didn't light up all the time, but kind of flickered on and off. Like when you split that Bulbin's head in half, or stood up on the saddle. I don't know what you were trying to do with it."

Link threw the line back out into the water. "I don't think I was trying to do anything. It was probably like the other times, where I was using it without meaning to. I wasn't doing anything differently, other than losing my mind and being stronger due to it. We've figured out that I get stronger than one person should when I fall into that rage."

"Yeah, so it was probably doing something else. Maybe once I get my power back, I can use my magic to figure out what you're actually doing with that Triforce magic thing. If it really is Triforce magic. It could be Hero of Hyrule magic, just like Zelda's is Royal Family magic." She paused for a second. "Ilia's coming." she said quietly, and then fell silent.

He turned to see Ilia leading Epona to the lake, the horse obediently walking with one of the humans she knew well. Hopefully Ilia couldn't pick up on horse body language and figure out how familiar Epona was with her.

"You're fishing?" Ilia didn't look at his face, but at the pole in his hands.

"I'm not doing it for fun. Ralis needs to eat." He reeled in the line again, and looked around the lake shore. "I need to find someplace deeper to cast this…"

"That's very kind of you, but we don't have the time to clean and cook it." She brought Epona to the water's edge and the horse lowered her head to drink.

"Zoras eat their food raw. They're predators that hunt for their food, and even though they use weapons like humans and Gorons do, I don't think they need them to hunt. They don't live in houses and sleep underwater in groups. They're people, but a lot of things about them are similar to monsters." He saw a rock sticking up out of the water not too far away, but far enough that he couldn't jump to it from shore.

"How do you know so much about Zoras?" She gently patted at Epona's flank as the horse sucked down water.

"I read." He sloshed through the water and hopped up on the rock. It was a normal conversation, which was something he was glad of after the fearful look Ilia had given him before. Perhaps she was like Telma, and had accepted how he fought.

"You read…" Ilia took a deep breath and slowly let it out, although he couldn't see her face from where he stood on the rock in the water. "You're a strange person, Link. I don't remember any people, but something tells me that you're very different than everyone else."

"I guess." He knew that he was different by now, but he still didn't feel any different. The lure splashed into the water from his cast and he didn't say anything else. This was more of a subject he hated, but he wasn't going to tell Ilia to stop talking. He wanted to hear her voice and have her near him, even if she couldn't remember him.

"No, you are. I saw how a lot of people don't care about others when I carried Ralis into town. Only Shifty would help me, and then Telma. Then you came along, and you cared about both Ralis and I even though you don't know us." There was a splashing sound behind him, like she was walking through the water. His boots were suited for that, but hers were not. She'd better like having wet shoes. "You're very kind, even gentle when you speak to us, but you're a completely different person in battle. You're very strong." Ilia came to stand near him in the water, and he saw that she was holding her boots in her hand, and had hitched her blue leggings up over her knees.

"It's a common thing with swordsmen. We fight well because we need to, but it doesn't really affect who we are as people." He felt a tug on the line but lost whatever had bit at it. The sound of their conversation probably wasn't helping him catch anything.

"Is it because you're the hero? I don't know what the Hero of Hyrule is, but it makes you unbelievably strong." Not only was she coming to talk to him while forgetting everything about who he was, but she had to talk about something that made him uncomfortable. If he hadn't had the strong desire to simply be near her, he would have asked her to leave him alone for the time being.

Link sighed and then looked over at her. "I don't know, uh...young lady. I think my fighting ability is stronger because I was made the hero, but what you saw was something else. Sometimes I get angry and lose my mind a bit when I fight." His voice got quiet. "I saw that it scared you. Sometimes it scares me a bit, too." It didn't used to, but now it did. Something about that uncontrollable rage paired with his new powers made him uneasy.

"It's okay. It certainly was scary to watch, but I'm not afraid anymore. I don't think Ralis is either. You were fighting that way to protect us." No, Ilia...it was to protect you. She kicked at the water a bit. "I can tell you don't like it, but don't be ashamed of something you're good at."

"I'm normally good at fishing, but right now I have somebody splashing around and scaring the fish." Hopefully that would derail the subject. He had wanted to speak with Ilia about the return of his anger before he realized that she lost her memories, but talking about it when she remembered nothing about him or how his mind worked would do him no good. She couldn't help him now.

Ilia put a hand to her mouth. "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't think of that." She waded back to the shore. "I didn't mean to ruin your fishing."

"It's all right...miss? Lady? What the heck do I call you?" He glanced over his shoulder at her with a little smile. "Blondie? No, that won't do. Pretty Girl?"

She laughed from where she stood on the shore. Ilia couldn't support him the way she used to, but if she could at least laugh at him like she always did, he'd be fine. "Pretty Girl? Are you flirting with me?"

"Nah." He began to reel in the line. "But I can if it makes you happy. I aim to please." He made an excited noise as something bit the lure when he had the line halfway reeled in, and pulled back the pole to hook it. He pulled the fish out of the water and grabbed it with one hand. It was a rainbow trout, not an enormous one but still large enough to feed a Zora child. "Look at that, a trout. I'm a bit jealous of Ralis. These things are tasty." He hopped down from the rock with a splash and waded to shore.

"You like fish?" The question was innocent, but it brought back the memory of the fish and dumplings she had brought him the night before she was abducted. It was an act of kindness, and now he realized that it was one of affection as well. He had discovered that she was attracted to him when using the wolf's sense of smell, and she probably felt the same way as he did. Not anymore.

He almost teared up thinking of the Ilia that he had lost. No, don't lose it in front of her. Keep calm. "It's something I eat a lot. I live near a river, so I've found myself fishing for my dinner often." He busied himself with removing the lure from the wriggling fish's mouth, doing his best to keep his composure as she stepped close to him to look at the trout. Link decided the best thing to do was keep quiet before he let his emotions show, and began walking back to the wagon.

Ilia grabbed Epona's reins and led the patient horse back, following behind him. If she kept spending time near him, sooner or later he was going to crack and let something slip. It probably was for the best that he planned on leaving her behind in Kakariko, as much as doing so pained him. "Link? Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." This question had better not be uncomfortable. Half of their conversation had been so far, even if she hadn't realized it.

"Am I really pretty? And blonde?" She didn't know what she looked like. Ilia couldn't even remember her own face.

Oh Ilia, if only you knew. She was gorgeous, but he hadn't ever told her that, even though he thought it all the time. He laughed at his own foolishness, and then realized that she thought he was laughing at her. "You don't know what you look like, do you?"

She came up to walk next to him through the grass, still in her bare feet. "No. I imagine Telma has a mirror since she wears makeup, but I didn't ask about it. She told me I'm pretty, but she says that to everyone."

"Yeah, it sure seems that way, doesn't it? She called me handsome." And her eyes were going to pop out of her head after seeing him without a shirt. Maybe Midna was right.

"She's not wrong. You are handsome." Now who was flirting with whom? The compliment made his ears hot, and when she saw the blush on his face, she laughed a little. "You don't take compliments well."

He didn't, but that wasn't the reason for his reaction. Midna giggled softly, and only he could hear her. "See? I told you so." Link couldn't reply to the comment so he turned cleared his throat a bit, still feeling like his face was warm. Well if he was red in the face already, he may as well describe Ilia's appearance for her.

"You have green eyes, almost as green as this grass we're on. Your hair is blonde, but it's more of a dirty blonde, and lighter than mine. It's cut pretty short. And yes, you really are pretty." He wanted to go into more detail and talk about all the features of her face that he loved, but he knew that he shouldn't. "And since you were so bold to call me handsome, I'm going to be bold and call you beautiful. You're more than just pretty."

Ilia put a hand to her face as they reached where Telma stood next to the wagon, speaking to Ralis. "You're just saying that to be nice."

"Am not. Hey, Telma." He approached her, fish in hand. "Our friend here doesn't believe me when I tell her that she's beautiful."

The tall woman raised an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips. She did not ask about the fish he was holding, and probably had figured out what it was for. "Oh, you told her that? I leave you two alone for ten minutes and you're already flirting." She laughed when Link assumed a grumpy expression. "Stop screwing up that handsome face of yours like that. I don't get to see very many pretty boys in my basement bar, you know."

He sighed, a bit exasperated. "I was talking about her looks, not mine. She doesn't know what she looks like."

Telma went up to Ilia and cupped her chin with a hand, looking down at her. "Short blonde hair, pale skin, very pretty green eyes. You have very long eyelashes. You don't wear makeup, but you certainly don't need it. If he told you that you were beautiful, then he's right. You're gorgeous, honey."

"See? I wasn't saying it to be nice. You wanted to know, and I told you." And I should have told you a year ago. He set down his fishing pole and looked at the trout dangling from his thumb. It was barely moving anymore. Did Zoras care if their food was alive or dead?

"Now that we've established that I'm traveling with a pair of very attractive young people, let's take my horses to get a drink. Link needs to finish his lunch anyway." She put her hand around Ilia's shoulders and lead her to the front of the wagon. It looked like the young woman was blushing a bit from the sincere compliment that Telma gave her.

He did need to finish his food, which Telma had covered with another plate to keep the bugs off, but Ralis needed to be fed first. He climbed into the wagon and found the Zora still laying there, staring at the sky. He was still in pain, but he looked incredibly bored as well. "Prince Ralis, are you hungry?"

"What?" The Zora slowly sat himself up, wincing in pain, and then looked at the barely-twitching fish that Link held. "You caught that for me?"

"If you don't want it, I'll throw it back." Although if he threw it back, it probably wouldn't survive anyway. The fish was doomed as soon as he reeled it in.

"Oh no, I want it." The young Zora eagerly reached his hands out and Link gave him the trout. Ralis' eyes shone with gratitude, and then he bit off the fish's head with a loud crunch, swallowing it whole. Those sharp teeth weren't for show. Zoras ate their prey bones and all, from the looks of it. "Your kindness is fitting for the Hero of Hyrule."

"You heard that too, huh? Well since you're a prince, you probably can understand what it's like to have everyone's eyes on you and seeing you as a thing, not a person."

The Zora bit off another chunk of fish. Watching him eat actually was kind of disgusting; it was almost like watching an otter eat. "I did hear you tell that Goron that you do not wish to be treated differently, or at least infer it. It was probably lost on him since he told you to 'grow some stones'." Ralis was only a child, but the way he spoke was very much like an adult. "It can be difficult when others cannot understand how you feel. They mean you no harm with their comments, since a hero only comes about once every few centuries."

"Yeah, you're right. I don't like it, but you're right." Link climbed out of the wagon. "Enjoy your lunch."


They made their way to the gates of Kakariko about two hours before midnight, Link leading the way through the canyon on Epona. He had been prepared to shout from the gate like last time, but there was a Goron warrior stationed outside who waved at him once he came into view. The Goron shouted at the gate and another one on the other side opened it.

"We thought more of our merchants were coming, but it's you. We didn't expect to see you here." the warrior outside of the gate said with a grin. "Welcome back, hero."

He was getting really sick of being called 'hero'. "Thanks. Are any of the elders here right now?"

"Just Coron." the Goron said as Link rode past. He watched the wagon go by without comment.

Link rode up to the stables next to the Eld Inn and dismounted. If Epona wandered, he could easily call her back. He didn't have the time to hitch or stable her right now. He hurried to the back of the wagon, which had stopped in the road. A group of curious Gorons gathered around the wagon, not sure why a Hylian woman would have come to Kakariko in the middle of an invasion.

He climbed up into the wagon, waking both Ilia and Ralis, who were dozing. "We're here. Miss, you should go into the inn and find something to eat. I know they'll have something in the kitchen. Ralis, it's time to see the shaman." He knew the children were in the inn and they would recognize Ilia, but they were sleeping right now. He'd have to figure out a way to handle that little kink in his plans. They shouldn't blab things to Ilia that she couldn't remember.

"I want to come with, but you're right. I should eat and go to bed." Ilia placed a hand on Ralis' forehead gently. "You'll be better soon. Maybe we can talk when you're not in pain anymore."

The Zora gave her a wan smile, and watched as she squeezed by Link to hop down from the wagon. Link shut his eyes and took a few deep breaths after she had brushed up against him, still having problems keeping his composure when she got too close to him. He expected Midna to make a comment, but there was silence from her. She had already gotten her digs in earlier in the morning.

Link gently picked up the prince, doing his best not to hurt the boy, and made his way out of the wagon. Ralis panted, breathing heavily from being carried again, but did not complain. As soon as Link had gotten out of the wagon, Gor Coron came up to him.

"What's this, a Zora? What happened?" The elder looked as if he was going to politely greet Link at first, but then dropped the formalities after seeing Ralis.

"This is Prince Ralis of the Zoras, and he was attacked while he made his way to Hyrule Castle. He's wounded and no one in Castle Town could help him. I brought him to see Renado." He began walking down the road towards the Sanctuary, unsure of which house in Kakariko belonged to Renado and Luda.

"You came in very late. All the humans are asleep. Did you ride here straight from Castle Town?" Coron asked, pacing him.

"We had to. Ralis was injured two days ago, and his wound is infected. Renado understands how to treat both Zoras and Gorons, so I knew that he could help." He stopped in the middle of the street. "Uh, only one problem. I don't know which house is his."

"I do. Come." Gor Coron led Link as he walked to a single-floor house made of adobe and wood, the one directly to the right of the Sanctuary. He pounded on the white-painted wooden door, waited about ten seconds, and then pounded again.

The shaman opened the door, wearing nothing but a pair of leggings and a disgruntled expression. "Coron? What's gotten into you? Luda's in bed." By the look of things, so was Renado. His eyes moved past the Goron and fixed on Link holding the Zora, and he rushed out of his home in his bare feet. "Link? You've brought a Zora?" He lifted the blanket to examine the boy in the Hylian's arms.

"He was attacked and wounded, and the wound's gone bad. Somebody found him and brought him to Castle Town, but for some reason that city of thousands of people didn't have a single doctor who could help Zoras." He looked down at Ralis, who had his eyes on Renado's face. "He was on his way to Hyrule Castle and wound up in the moat."

"Hmm." The sound was serious as Renado looked at the seeping bandages. "Zoras usually have strong immune systems, but the water in that moat is filthy. It's no wonder he has an infection." He raised his eyes to look at Link. "We should take him to Eldin's Spring." He turned his head to speak with the Goron, his long black hair straight and flowing around his shoulders without its beads. "Gor Coron? I am sorry I was short with you. Will you please make sure that I am not disturbed while I care for this boy?"

The Goron elder nodded. "None will pass me. Do what you must." Did Gor Coron know about Renado's ability? If any of the Gorons knew, it would be the elders. They certainly had known that Link was the hero.

Link and Renado moved to the spring while Coron stood in the middle of the road, in front of the Sancutary with his arms crossed, facing north and most of the town. Ralis continued to look up at Renado's face thoughtfully. "I know you." he said finally. "You were much younger, but you were at my father's funeral. You were still an apprentice then."

"I remember you, Prince Ralis, but please remain still." He met Link's eyes. "Lay him in the spring as you did with Colin."

It was far easier to sit in the water this time, since he was in far better shape than he was when he had rescued Colin. He cradled the prince in his lap, waiting for whatever it was Renado planned to do. He hoped it was using healing magic, because he didn't know what else could help.

The shaman faced the upper tier of the spring, which had lit up with the presence of the hero. "Eldin, spirit of the east and bearer of the light and power of Din, please answer my plea." he prayed. Link hadn't expected him to pray to the spirit and thought Eldin would simply come out. Luda was right about them not showing themselves often. "Grant me the strength to help this boy."

The orb of light rose from the spring and Eldin's winged form appeared on top of it, grasping it with its talons. It spread its wings wide and then folded them neatly, and fixed its golden stare on Renado. "I answer your call. I did not expect to appear again so soon, yet I am not surprised to see the hero here. Hyrule has been changing, even for us Light Spirits."

"Eldin, I beg of you: I need you to lend me some of your power again. I must help this boy. He is the prince of the Zoras, and his people will need him." The way Renado spoke to the Light Spirit was reverent and respectful. He was even more formal than usual, if that was possible.

Eldin tilted its avian head to the side and looked at the Zora, who was staring up at the Light Spirit in awe. "This young Zora has my blessing, as do you, Renado." It righted its head and spread its golden wings wide. "You may proceed with healing him."

Link understood how Renado's healing power worked after that exchange. Renado himself did not have sacred magic, and he channeled it from Eldin instead. That made sense, since sacred magic was not very common. In fact the only two people he knew who had it were himself and Zelda, and even then that had to be tied to the Triforce in some way.

Renado knelt in the water of the spring and looked down at Ralis. "I must put my hands on your wound, so be prepared."

The Zora nodded, unsure of what was happening. Ralis watched as Renado gently lay his hands on the Zora's side, and then the prince's eyes widened when the shaman's hands began to glow. The light crept up Renado's swirling tattoos, which extended up his arms to his shoulders and curled out near his collarbone. Ralis looked down at himself. "It's hot…"

"I know." Link said. "He did this to me not too long ago."

"Yes, and that time I had to heal bone, not just flesh." Renado said, able to keep his concentration and speak just like last time. "This will go much faster than your healing, Link. Even though Ralis has an infection, a Zora's body is far stronger than a Hylian's. He also did not foolishly do things like swim and ride around with a cracked rib."

"You are never going to let me live that down, are you?" He certainly didn't have a choice in the matter. There were things that needed doing whether he was injured or not.

The shaman raised an eyebrow at him. "I may forgive you for it in a few years, after you have grown up some. My ten-year-old daughter is more mature than you are."

Link sighed. He knew he was young, but he was doing his best. The way he had grown up isolated in Ordon hadn't helped him learn how to be an adult very well, other than how to care for himself and work hard. The past five years had been spent trying to hide his past and minimize his presence in the little farming community, not learning the way that adults thought.

"This is why you brought me here." Ralis looked up at Link. "You knew he could do this."

"I couldn't think of any other way to help you. I know that medicine is needed to treat an infection and the fever that goes with it, but you Zoras don't get fevers like my people do. I knew your body was too different and that Dr. Borville was right, that nobody in Castle Town understood how to treat Zoras." It was surreal sitting here holding another wounded child in the waters of the spring late at night, just as he had days ago.

"You were wise to bring him here, even if the trip was difficult." The glow faded from Renado's tattoos and then his hands, and he withdrew them. "I believe that should do it. You may move around now." The shaman looked physically tired, and after using magic himself Link could understand why.

Ralis sat up, testing to see if his body hurt or not, and then slowly stood. "The pain is gone…" He reached to his side and tried to untie the bandages, but the claws on the tips of his fingers made it difficult. Link reached out to help him, removing the stained linen strips of cloth and revealing a faint white scar that went down the Zora's left side, across his gills. It was the only sign that there had been any wound at all, and the Zora's scales looked healthy, having become more violet again.

"There would not be a scar at all if I had not healed Link only a few days ago." Renado told him wearily.

"Young Ralis." Eldin said, folding its wings again. It had kept them spread during the entire healing. "You must not tell anyone of how you were healed here tonight. If anyone asks, it was I who healed you with the power of my spring. Renado's magic must be kept secret due to Hylian laws."

"I promise on my honor I will not tell a soul." Ralis said seriously.

"Excellent. You are welcome to sleep in my spring. The waters up where I am are rather deep." The owl lifted one leg and looked down into the water below it. "There are fish here as well, when you feel the need to hunt."

"That sounds lovely. Thank you for your kindness Eldin, and Renado for the healing. I admit that I had feared for my life at times, but my mission to Hyrule Castle was far too important for me to worry about my own health." He turned to Link, who still sat in the warm water of the spring. "I must thank you as well, Link. Not only did you show concern for me and bring me here, but you also told me that you have freed my people."

Link stood, the bottom edge of his green tunic dripping. The water of the spring had been soothing the sore spot on his spine where he had been shot earlier. "I did, and the ice is starting to melt. They were able to get out of the ice, and they seemed fine when I left Zora's Domain. I did make a promise to the Zoras to help you, but after seeing how much pain you were in I probably would have done it anyway." He shook his head. "There's something in me that can't stand to see a kid hurt."

"You had doubted the gods' choice to make you a hero, but your personal traits are one of the reasons that they did. The compassion that you show others has always been the hallmark of the Hero of Hyrule, just as much as his fighting prowess." The owl lowered its head into the feathers of its neck, fluffing them up. It was almost comical. "There are other reasons as well, but you will discover them with time. You have now freed this land from all of the Twilight, and only must recover one final piece of the Fused Shadows. Beware its power, young Link. It is not one to be trifled with."

"Lanayru already warned me about that." He knew that Midna was listening, but needed to speak to the Light Spirit about the subject. "If anything goes wrong, then I'm ready to do what's necessary to take care of it." Even if it means killing Midna, he thought to himself silently. He knew that this would result in awkward questions from Midna, but he'd find a way to deflect them.

The great golden owl opened its beak and let out a low cry, vanishing in a flash of light. The runes on the rocks in its spring continued to softly glow as they always did. Link looked down at Ralis. "Go get some sleep. We can talk about Zora's Domain more tomorrow. You too, Renado. You look beat."

"I normally do not cast magic this often, but a good rest will do me good." The shaman smiled at him. "Just do not make a habit of bringing injured children here late at night."

Ralis waded into the spring until it was deep enough for him to swim, and then he vanished beneath the surface. A few seconds later he burst out of the water in a graceful arc and landed in the upper tier of the spring where Eldin dwelled. It probably would be strange to sleep in the same place as a light spirit, but no stranger than anything else that had been happening. As Eldin had said, Hyrule was changing.

Link and Renado walked from the spring and past Gor Coron, who nodded at them. "Everything go well?" the Goron asked.

"The prince is sleeping in the spring." Renado told him. "Thank you for keeping others away."

"I know the risks you take to help others, Renado." Coron said. So he did know about Renado's powers. "We elders will do everything in our power to protect you and your daughter." He wandered off and towards the wagon where Telma was unhitching her shaggy draft horses.

They were some distance from the spring, on the path that ran to the graveyard from the main road, between the Sanctuary and Renado's house. Link lowered his voice when he spoke to the shaman. "Renado, Queen Rutela is dead."

The tattooed man stopped walking and turned towards Link. "How?" he asked, in shock.

"I wasn't able to get to Zora's Domain in time." He regretted it, even though he had no power over how quickly he got there. She likely had been killed while he was still on the Eldin plains. "Zant killed her and many of their soldiers, and then froze everything so the rest of the Zoras would slowly die. Midna and I were able to melt the ice and free the Zoras, but I couldn't do anything for the Queen. Her spirit found me while I was there, and she can't pass on to the next world because she's worried about her son."

"So the Zoras need their prince to become the new king, and the soul of their Queen needs to ease her regrets so she may rest." The shaman wearily rubbed at his face with his hands. Link had never seen him this tired before.

"Right. We shouldn't tell Ralis for now. He's been through a lot and he needs to rest." He looked at Renado's face, and realized that the shaman's dark eyes were looking past him in surprise. "...what?" He turned and saw the spirit of the Zora Queen hovering in the air beneath the archway leading to the graveyard. She held out her hand to beckon to him.

"Speaking of…" He glanced at Renado, but the man didn't say anything. There really wasn't much to say about the strange situation, and the shaman still looked quite tired. Link walked over to the large pink-scaled spirit, who still glowed with a soft white light.

"Hero," she said. "I recognize your eyes even though you are no longer a beast. My son is safe, and so I will uphold my part of the bargain. Follow me." She slid backwards through the air weightlessly, trailing her curled fins behind her as she moved.

The Queen led him through the large graveyard and over to a greener area with graves surrounding a pond. He was technically following a ghost through a graveyard at night, but for some reason it felt serene and not frightening. The spirit hovered above a large grave that was newer than the other ones, yet it still appeared weathered. "This is where my husband sleeps, and where my people will bring my body to its eternal rest. This place has always been where the Zoras have buried our royal family, even before the town grew around Eldin's Spring."

The queen looked down at the grave, and the headstone slid back from its base to reveal a parcel wrapped in gray cloth that sat in a hidden compartment there. It was a strange place to keep the armor, but perhaps there was a reason why the Zoras wanted to keep it hidden with the bones of their royal family. "My husband requested that when he passed on, this magic armor be hidden in his grave. It was to be given to another hero should he appear." She gave him a faint smile. "It seems that time has come. This Zora Armor will allow you to breathe underwater, survive the pressure at great depths and swim as we do. Take it."

Link knelt and looked in the rectangular compartment, and lifted out the parcel wrapped in soft cloth. It jingled slightly, although it wasn't as heavy as he expected armor to be.

"Thank you for caring for my son." Rutela's fins moved gently as she hovered above him. "He is safe, and now my regrets have been eased. I may join my husband in the next world." The queen hugged her finned arms around herself sadly, showing a bit of emotion. "I wish I could speak to him, but the sight of me would bring him such pain…" She shook her head, gems rattling. "No, I ask you to pass on my words to him. Tell Ralis that I am proud of him, and that I know he will grow into a strong leader." She lowered her arms and shut her eyes, her expression pained. "Tell him that his mother loves him to no end." The spirit opened her eyes again, and the light around her began to dim. "Please tell him that."

The spirit of Queen Rutela faded away, leaving Link standing alone in the graveyard with the bundle in his hands. He stared up at where she was, thinking of how she was able to say goodbye to her son in a way. His own mother was unable to, having lost the ability to speak in her final hours. He felt his eyes tear up, grieving for both Ralis' loss and his own.

Midna appeared next to him. "Hey, you okay there?"

He blinked the tears away. "Sorry. She made me think about my own mother. I wasn't able to say goodbye to her, just like Ralis."

The shadowy creature came up next to him and put her small hands on his shoulder. "I didn't get to say goodbye to my mother either." she said softly. Then she patted one of her hands on his green tunic. "There are so many sad things that have happened, both to us and to others. The world isn't fair, Link. If anyone knows that, it's you."

"I know." And now Midna knew. He had a friend that he was able to share that part of himself with. The fact that she knew was comforting, even though she didn't know the entire story. He hadn't told her of the wild chase from Kasuto to Ordon, or about his mother's slow death. Those terrifying two days hurt far more than the massacre at Kasuto. It would probably be something he kept to himself for the rest of his life, the thing he knew was the source of his anger. He took a deep breath. "If we had been a bit faster and if I hadn't taken that day to rest here, would Ralis still have his mother? What if we could have saved the Zora Queen?"

Midna moved to float in front of him and shook her shadowy head. "Don't worry about the what ifs, worry about what will be. You can use that armor and we'll go to the Zora's temple, and get the final piece of the Fused Shadows."

"I plan on spending the day here tomorrow. I need to tell Ralis what his mother said, and I need to see if Renado can help Ilia." He tucked the cloth-wrapped bundle beneath his arm and started walking out of the graveyard. "Besides, I'm covered in blood again, and this time I don't have a Light Spirit to purify me." He wasn't about to ask Eldin to do it just to avoid doing laundry, either.

"Yeah, that's fair. We haven't seen any new activity from Zant, so not going to Lake Hylia immediately is probably fine. Get to bed, hero. I'm going to sit in your shadow and think for a while." She vanished, merging with the shadows of some part of him.

As much as he wanted to go to bed, he still needed to care for Epona and find something to eat. He walked out of the graveyard to find Renado gone, and his house dark. Link couldn't blame the man for going back to bed. After he walked to the main road and turned left, he saw that the draft horses were gone, and Telma was watching as a Goron carefully backed up her wagon to park it next to the inn. Epona stood not too far away, dozing with her head held low. The tall woman turned when she saw Link approach, and she took a few steps forward. "How is Ralis?"

"Resting in Eldin's Spring. Renado said that the healing power of the water is strong, so after Ralis sleeps there he should be much better. I don't know how that can fix an infection, but I trust him to know what he's talking about." He grabbed Epona's reins, and the sleepy horse raised her head. "You should go to the inn to see if you can find any food in the kitchen. Ilia's probably there already."

"No she isn't, she's been helping with my horses. That nice old Goron is too." She stepped up and gave Epona a gentle pat on the neck. "You take care of your mare, and I'll see you inside in a bit." Telma turned and walked to the steps of the Eld Inn.

Link led Epona into the stable, which had a pair of the candle lanterns lit. Gor Coron was removing the tack from the first draft horse, and Ilia was stepping out of the stall of the second. She noticed him enter and walked up to him. "How is Ralis doing?"

"He's sleeping in Eldin's Spring, so the Light Spirit's power should have him healed by morning. If not, Renado has medicines." He was even getting good at lying to Ilia, something he never thought that he'd do. Barley and Rye didn't respond to Epona when she went past this time, too sleepy to say hello to their friend.

Coron finished what he was doing and closed the door to the stall behind him, carrying a pair of wooden buckets. Ilia watched him as he walked past. "You didn't need to help. That was very kind of you."

The Goron stopped and smiled at her pleasantly. "This isn't the first time Link rode in late with an emergency, and last time I wasn't here to help. I'll go get them some water, and I think that will be enough." He wandered out of the stable into the moonlit night, carrying the buckets.

"You've done plenty." Link told Ilia as he led Epona into her usual stall. "You really should go find something to eat and get to bed."

She leaned on the door to the stall and watched him begin to remove the horse's saddle. "I know, but I want to help. These poor horses worked hard today, especially your...what's your horse's name, actually?"

If it hadn't been so late and he hadn't been so tired, he would have caught himself. He did not. "Epona." he said, smiling up at his beloved horse.

"Epona…" Ilia repeated slowly, her eyes growing distant.

"Yeah. She's my favorite girl." He absently began humming the horse's song, rubbing at her back after removing the saddle and blanket. It was such a normal and familiar thing for him to do, he didn't even think before doing it.

That was a mistake. Ilia cried out and put her hands to the sides of her head, squeezing her eyes shut. "No! Don't do that!"

"Ilia!" he cried, hurrying out of the stall to her, alarmed. As soon as he let her name slip, he knew he had made another terrible mistake. She began to cry, breathing heavily and pressing her curled-up fingers to her cheeks.

"No, don't call me that!" She opened her eyes and stared into the distance, and gave a soft groan. "No...don't sing that song. Don't! Don't call me that name! Don't! Don't, don't, don't…." An agonized sob escaped her, and she buried her face in her hands.

He couldn't hold himself back any longer and he put his arms around her as she cried. She trembled, mumbling something to herself barely above a whisper. He could hear the frantic mantra it as it increased in volume. "I'm Ilia. I'm Ilia. I'm Ilia."

The sound of her terror and tears tore at his heart, but he kept his composure. He had to, for her. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I said that. It's all right."

"Why does it hurt?" She made a sound as if she was in physical pain. "Why does it hurt to remember…?" Ilia dropped her hands from her head and gripped at his green tunic, oblivious to the spots of Bulbin blood there. "It's my name...why does it hurt…" She continued to mutter repetitively, tears rolling down her cheeks as she dropped her face to his shoulder.

Link almost lost it. Her pain became his pain, and he felt as if his chest was heavy as he struggled to control his breathing. He shut his eyes and held onto her tightly, even though he shouldn't. He shouldn't be familiar with her but he couldn't help it. He had wanted to hold Ilia close for years, but not like this. No, not like this at all, not when she was in such a terrible state. He needed her, but not the way she was right now. "That's enough for now." he said, a small quaver in his voice. "Your name is enough. Don't push yourself."

He heard a sound and he opened his eyes again. Gor Coron rushed back in with a look of concern on his face, and he looked at the young woman shaking in Link's arms, and then at him. He returned the Goron's look helplessly, not sure what to do in this situation, for either himself or Ilia. What could he say? Should he let her cry? Ilia rarely cried, and the sound of it made him want to put his own face on her shoulder and do the same.

It probably was only a few minutes, but it felt like an eternity as she stood there with the fabric of his green tunic clutched tightly in her hands like a lifeline, still weeping. She began to stop shaking, and a took few deep breaths to steady herself, but didn't move otherwise. "How do you know my name? How do you know that song?"

He opened his mouth, unsure of what to say. Would telling her make her worse? "I don't know if I should tell you too much. This is all very upsetting for you."

"Tell me. Please." She sounded miserable.

If it made her worse again, he was here for her. He didn't want to trigger another episode, but he wanted her to start to remember herself as well. "We know each other. You know me, and you know Epona. You've heard me sing that song before." He shut his eyes and let his face reflect how he felt for a moment, not caring if Coron was there watching the whole exchange with a look of worry on his face. "There are others here who know you too...a group of children." He didn't tell her that she had freed them from capture, or that Epona had been there when they were attacked. "There's so much more, but that's enough for now."

"I don't remember any of it." she said miserably, a bit calmer now that he had spoke to her. "You're kind and trying to help me, and I should know you, but I don't." She sounded guilty. Hearing her name had caused her pain, yet she felt guilty for not remembering him. Ilia was thinking of others before herself again, and this time she was thinking of him.

Even though he wanted to stand there and hold her, he controlled his expression and put his hands on her shoulders and held her out at arm's length. Tears still sat in her eyes, but at least she wasn't sobbing anymore. "Ilia." He said her name in the familiar way he always said it, no longer having to pretend to be a stranger. "Ilia, look at me." She sniffled, but looked up at him. The look of pain and confusion in her eyes almost made him lose himself again. No, focus. You're helping her. Do this for her. "You'll be fine. You have this. Day by day, little by little, it'll come back. Even if you don't remember me, you know your name now, and that's a good place to start."

She kept looking at his eyes, and he hoped that they didn't betray how he was really feeling. Then she nodded, wiping at her face with her fingers. "I'm sorry for being such a mess…"

"No, don't be." He shook his head. "Today has been hard on you. Go inside by Telma and get some food and some rest. We'll talk to Renado about your memory tomorrow."

Ilia gave a small sigh and nodded her head again. "Yes...you're right. Thank you, Link." The sound of her saying his name with tears in her voice nearly broke him, and he dropped his hands from her shoulders so she wouldn't notice that they had started shaking. He watched her with a lump in his throat as she left the stable and stepped out into the night and made her way into the inn. Once she was gone, he sunk down to sit on the floor of the stable and put his face in his shaking hands. The stress of the past two days hit him like a sock in the jaw. Pretending to be someone he wasn't and keeping it together all for her had been difficult, and her panic a moment ago was the last straw.

He had done it. She had gotten through it even though it hurt her, and he had managed to be strong through all of it. That strength was gone now, and he stifled a tearful sound with his hands. "You poor guy." Midna said softly to him. "You can't catch a break, can you?" It certainly seemed that way. Other people probably would have been all right, but he continued to be a wreck.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Gor Coron standing there with a kind smile on his brown face. "I can see that you're strong in many ways."

Link gave an undignified sniff, wanting to be angry at himself for failing to control his emotions once again, but not having the mental energy to do so. "I'm not really feeling strong right now."

"She didn't notice how you reacted through that, but I did. Helping her even though it causes you pain takes a special kind of strength." He gave Link's shoulder a gentle squeeze. Was this the way he treated his son? Would Darbus even become an emotional fool over someone else? It was hard to picture.

He nodded and hung his head, his messy hair hanging around his face. He suddenly felt very tired. A tear rolled down his nose even though he was trying to stop crying. He wanted to be done with these damned emotional moments.

"You said you know her. Who is she?" Coron withdrew his hand.

Link continued to hang his head, suddenly wishing he could be in bed and not think about this. Or think about anything for that matter. "She's my best friend...but she doesn't remember anything, including me. Something terrible happened to her when the Bulbins invaded our village, and now something in her brain is blocking her memories." He drew up his knees and rested his face on them, wrapping his arms around his legs. He felt like a boy, not a hero. He was the frightened boy from Kasuto again. "I don't know how the mind works, Coron. I don't know what I can do for her." His voice was muffled again. "I hope Renado can help, but I'm sure that healing a mind isn't like healing a body."

"I agree that it isn't, but have faith in Renado, and your friend as well. She'll need time more than anything else." Coron's words echoed Midna's last night. Amnesia needed time to heal, but something about this particular kind of amnesia was horrible. She didn't just forget things; being reminded of them seemed to cause her physical pain. "Be patient, Link. She'll remember you eventually."

The use of his name made him raise his face and look up at the old Goron. He hadn't called him "hero", and was being more familiar with him. Just that one thing was far more comforting than everything else he had said. He wiped at his face with the back of his arm and slowly got to his feet. "I'm sorry you saw me like this."

Gor Coron gave a short chuckle. "You sound like her. Don't fret over feelings, young man. You have more important things to do, like finish caring for your horse."

Epona had started nudging at him with her nose once he had stood up. "I noticed." He made his way back into her stall to finish what he was doing. The mare lipped at his hair, sensing his distress. He reached up and patted her neck. "Thanks, girl. I love you too."

Once he had cared for her, he picked up the wrapped Zora Armor and went into the back of Telma's wagon to find his cloak. "I'm starting to develop a theory about your emotional ups and downs, Link." Midna said to him as he climbed into the back and snagged the cloak with one hand. "The Twilight gives you such terrible dreams that they make you physically respond, right?"

Physically respond. What a quaint way to describe tears and shouting. "Right."

"I think it's done other things to you. I've looked at myself long and hard, and thought of how you said that I get worse in the Twilight. I think I've been getting progressively worse, and so have you. It makes me act like a bitch, and it makes you a wreck day after day. The stuff that's been happening is really stressful too, so don't count that out. But I think that the darkness that Zant's put into the Twilight is building up in our bodies."

He shook the straw from his cloak. "That's what the knight's ghost said. It's dark magic from the Twilight, and from the Fused Shadows." After he said it, he realized that he shouldn't. He just couldn't stop running his damn mouth tonight, could he?

Midna paused for a minute, not saying anything as he folded his cloak over his arm. "I'm not sure that's the case, but we can't rule out the possibility. It's unlikely, though." Of course she would dismiss it, if it was influencing her. Now it was influencing him. The power of the Fused Shadows was frightening, and he didn't know how to remove its taint from the two of them. He had sacred magic, but he didn't know how to use it to help them.

"Let's talk about this when I don't feel like crap, all right?" The two of them could probably work on a solution together, but not right now. He walked into the inn, which still had one lamp lit on the table and a few coals in the fireplace. Telma was reaching for a dirty plate on the long common table, but then she stopped and frowned at him.

"Oh, there you are. Ilia was just here." Her tone was neutral, but he could see from her body language that she was a bit angry. He lowered his face so he wouldn't have to look at her; he did not want to deal with someone else's anger right now. "She told me that she remembered her name, and that you helped her and made made it hurt less, but she was crying." Her tone was no longer neutral, and she grew increasingly angry as she spoke. "She mentioned that she heard you singing a song and it hurt, that you told her the horse's name and it hurt. And then you saying her name was the worst part. She dolled it up to make you seem like you were helping her, that you even gave her a nice hug, but none of that would have happened if you had kept your damn mouth shut. "

"Yeah, I know." He reached for one of the apples in the bowl next to the lamp, indifferent to her anger. It was all he had the energy for at this point. "She was a mess." So was I.

The tall woman stepped up behind him as he bit into the apple. "You told me that you would never hurt her earlier. What happened to that, huh?" When he kept chewing and didn't reply, she put her hand on his shoulder and spun him around. "Look at me when I'm talking to you! I don't care who you are…" She trailed off when she saw his face in the light of the lamp. He had done his best to wipe his eyes, but he knew he usually looked terrible after crying. It was why he had avoided looking at her. "Oh. Oh, honey. She didn't tell me that you were upset too."

"Of course not. I managed to be okay until after she left." He looked down at the apple in his hand with the single bite taken out of it. This one was fairly sour. It seemed fitting with how the night had went.

She pulled him into a hug, which was not what he was expecting. He had only met her yesterday, although she had gotten to know him fairly well since then. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I wasn't thinking, and only worried about that sweet girl. I guess I need to worry about this sweet young man as well."

He wasn't the hero to her anymore either. She had been ready to unload her anger on him, but once she caught him in a very personal moment, she treated him with kindness. He sighed and shut his eyes, realizing that he needed someone to hug him. He had really felt that he needed the comfort of another human being lately, especially after what Lanayru showed him. "Where was this hug ten minutes ago when I needed it?"

"I was hugging Ilia then." She gave a short laugh. "Although the next time you come to me for a hug, do it without wearing all those weapons." Telma pulled back and looked down at him. "It'll be all right, honey. That shaman was able to help Ralis, so I'm sure he'll help Ilia."

"What will help Ilia is me leaving. I know I'm the source of her problems." He tried to let his tiredness take over his voice, but still emotion leaked through. The idea of leaving her behind made him miserable. "The more I'm around her, the more likely I'll say something else that will trigger her." He looked down at the apple, not sure if he wanted to eat it even as hungry as he was. "Or I'll say something too personal and confuse her." He bit into the apple anyway; food was food.

"You have other things that you're doing, right? The Gorons said something about you fixing the trouble on Death Mountain, and you told Ralis that you had fought a bunch of monsters at Zora's Domain. Then there's the invasion, and that army…" Telma patted his arm. "You really have your hands full."

"I do. The next place I'm going is to the bottom of Lake Hylia with the help of some Zoras." He took in her surprised expression. "I'll tell you all about it one day. For now, I need you take care of Ilia for me. I'll come back to visit her when I can, but you need to be here for her, because I can't." He dropped his eyes back to the apple. "Even though I want to." He bit off what was left from the core, and then eyed the bowl. One apple was not very satisfying.

"I'm only staying a day or two, but I'm sure there are other people here who can help her." She watched as he reached for another apple and grabbed his hand. "Don't try to fill that warrior's belly of yours with fruit." Telma took the gnawed apple core from his fingers and went into the kitchen. He waited patiently until she returned with a plate that had cold fried potatoes and a couple of sausages on it. "Sit down and eat this. I can see how tired you are and I know you don't want to look for food, but you fought hard earlier and need to eat something substantial."

"I think I need sleep more than anything. You don't have to take care of me, I was fine." He set the armor and his cloak on the bench and sat down to eat anyway. She did bring him the food after all, and the sight of it made his hunger stronger.

"Uh-huh. That's exactly what Ilia would say. The two of you worry about everyone else except yourselves. It's no wonder you're best friends." She put her hands on her hips. "It's like there's room for everyone in your hearts but your own selves." That comment got a giggle from Midna, but Telma couldn't hear it. "I'm going to find a room. Eat up, put your plate in the kitchen, and sleep. You look like hell." She smiled and gave his cheek a pat. "Good night, handsome." Telma made her way around the table and went up the stairs.

"She just said you look like hell and then called you handsome." Midna said, her tone amused. "I like her." He decided not to say anything to Midna until he was up in his room. For now he should eat, and despite his exhaustion he was quite hungry.

Ten minutes later he was upstairs in his dark room. He wished he had some of those matches that Renado kept somewhere, and lit the lamp with the more traditional method of flint and tinder. He began to set down his gear, looking forward to resting and escaping his stupidly tender emotions.

Midna appeared out of his shadows and unwrapped the package of Zora Armor that he had set down on the dresser. "Oh wow, this is really something. It's made with a lot of Zora scales. Look, Link." He didn't look nor answer. Instead he lifted his chain shirt over his head and carefully set it on the floor. He then took off the gambeson and threw it down on the floor with far less care. "Hey, are you going to be all right?" she asked, looking at him from where she stood on the dresser. When he didn't answer, she floated over to him and put her little hands on the sides of his face. "Link." When he looked at her she clicked her tongue. "Oh, those sad eyes. I know today was rough. You've been through a lot since we've met, and you've handled it all really well."

"Have I?" He was so very tired.

"You're very resilient, whether you realize it or not. You haven't run from any of your problems." She kept her hands on his face, quite close to him. Midna didn't seem to understand how strange it was to be in someone's face like that, but she was being kind.

"I ran from Kasuto." he said.

"Link, I wanted to run from Kasuto. You did the smart thing. That's not the same as running from a problem. My point is that you're so much stronger than you give yourself credit for. That Goron elder very truthfully told you that, and you still wound up mopey because you feel like your emotions are out of control."

He wanted to correct her, but she was right. He was mopey.

"I know you'll be all right. You always find a way to get there." She pushed at some of the long hair that was in front of his ears that extended down past his jawline. "When was the last time you got a proper haircut? I don't understand these long pieces of hair here when the hair in back is a bit shorter. And don't get me started on your bangs."

That made him give a weak laugh. "You try cutting your own hair and see how well it goes." He put his hand on hers. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up. You're right, I'll get there. Right now still sucks, so I think I'm going to sleep." She let go of his face and moved back to give him space. He finished undressing and climbed into bed, then lay there for a second before realizing that he forgot to blow out the lamp. "Oh." His brain was not working very well.

"It's all right, I'll get it." Midna blew the light out and settled next to his head. She was probably going to sit next to him as he slept again. He felt her hand on his hair as she smoothed it back, the thing she always did when trying to comfort him. "I'm sorry to have brought all of this on you." she said quietly. "I feel like I'm responsible for a lot of the things that have happened to you."

He shut his eyes and sighed. When she first pat his hair like that he thought it a bit odd, like she was trying to pet him just as she did when he was a wolf. Now he was beginning to find it soothing. "Nothing that happened today is your fault. I'm not doing everything because you're holding a knife to my throat, because you most certainly aren't. I'm doing things because I feel that they're important." It wasn't that way at first, but it was now. "You haven't told me much, but I can tell you've been through a lot yourself. I want to help you, Midna."

She was quiet as she sat next to him, small hand on his hair. He began to drift off to sleep, but then he felt a small pair of lips press against his cheek. "You really are a good boy." she quietly said with no trace of sarcasm.


Author's Note: Oh, the drama. Now we have two characters completely messed up in the head. I always thought the way that Ilia stood around for two story arcs and looked a little sad about her memory loss was kind of stupid (and the indifference Link seemed to have about it), so I did a 180 and went hard in the other direction. Now we have two characters with PTSD, yay!