Inspiration: Riddles, introspection, dinosaurs (dinosauria [two legged], anklysaurians [four legged], ptersaurians [pteradactyl, flying], & coelurosaurian theropod [Tyrannosaurus, scavenger/hunter]) and Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (Dire Miralis [dark], Ivory Lagiacrus [light], Bracydios [poison/lava], and Azure Rathalos [blue/water]), Titanic "I'm king of the world!".
Shout Outs: Karen thanks for reading.
Author's Note: SuccessfulFailure you caught me red handed lol. I COMPLETELY forgot Ashei said "yeah?" after the end of each sentence. Kudos to you dude lol.
Reedit 3/3/2014 & 3/4/2014.
Word Count: 12,251
Chapter 3
Somewhere in the Crypts of Hyrule: One Week Later
The Protector paused his descent for a few seconds when he thought he was being followed. He realized that it was a near impossibility for an ordinary citizen to network their way around this labyrinth. However, he also knew he couldn't be reckless, and take that fact for granted. Now more than ever, he needed to air on the side of caution. It could have been something as simple as one of the students looking around and trying to decipher the paths as a completion for their tier. That was the best case scenario. On the other hand, it could have been someone who accidentally stumbled upon this place and was trying to figure their way out. If that was the case, Hylia help them, because the poor individual may never see the light of day again. That was a worse scenario. However, even even more terrible than that, would be the possibility of the Protector being followed by someone of a higher tier. After what had taken place lately, and Vincent's treachery, the scholar knew he couldn't he lackadaisical by any means. In any such case, the headmaster wasn't a paranoid man, but it was better to be safe than sorry. When the sound he thought he heard completely abated, he continued on.
He continued through the dank hall, and took a ladder down one floor to a cubby room behind a wall of skeletons. On the other side was a large iron door that was sealed shut. He immediately went to open it, and hurried through to the other side. After closing the door behind him, he went over to a table placed at the center of the room and lit a lone candle resting on it. With all the moisture in the air, he was surprised a fire stoked so readily. However, he didn't ponder that fact too much, because his mind suddenly had a new preoccupation.
His objective was nigh.
Here it is... he thought.
The Protector then sat down in preparation to continue reading from the book already lying there. It was an exert from the text The Secret Mysteries of All the Ages. His interests in the manuscript suddenly heightened after he saw what took place in the heavens the night of the Aristocrat's Ball. It was another one of those strange celestial disturbances produced by the hero. However, after this latest event, the normal astronomical rotations therein completely reconfigured to confer new and different constellations, and that didn't make sense to the headmaster. It just didn't seem to be possible. The new nebulas even seemed to take on some mysterious, but almost hauntingly familiar shapes. One was shaped like a dragon, one was shaped like a snake, another like a phoenix, and the last one took the shape of a woman. Now, why was that happening? No one would know any of this unless they were a star watcher, and the Protector was an avid star watcher. He knew something wasn't right about all this. He knew something sinister was manifesting itself because of it.
What the hell is going on up there? he wondered, tapping his finger on the table.
Lanayru's constellation was gone.
Ordana's constellation was barely visible.
Eldin's nebula was almost unrecognizable.
Faron's rotation looked like it started going counter clock wise.
The Protector initially thought these new constellations replaced the old ones. However, upon further study, he concluded that the original ones were still present, but they were being facaded by this strange manufactured veneer of energy produced by the hero. His constellations weren't real or sustainable by any means. Actually, they purported to be evidential markers for something else.
Four purges.
Four spots.
The Protector was starting to see a pattern, but he wasn't exactly certain how it all came together.
This is starting to get closer to something that hasn't been seen or revealed in a long time, he thought cryptically, nearly a thousand years.
What the hell was going on out there? What was causing this? What was about to happen? Why was this being made manifest now? Why did Vincent construct this?
All of those questions were swirling around the headmaster's head, and he couldn't put any rhyme or reason to it. This was why he needed contemplation, insight, and was referencing this particular text. The Secret Mysteries of All the Ages was believed to be a book written by a mystic madman. Many scholars believed he was a former member of the cult of the Interlopers, so they never used the book as an informed study. However, as the Protector saw it, former Interloper or not, the book had profound references to ancient Hylian lore. Therein was a history of the Hero of Sky, Hylia, Demise and even the ancient city of Skyloft. It even made mention of old treasures that some scholars said didn't exist: The Book of Mudora, the Staff of Somaria, the Cane of Byrna, and the Picori Sword just to name a few. There was much more, but the Protector didn't have time to discuss that. He was looking for something very specific at the moment. He brought the candle closer to his field of sight and attempted to get comfortable. After the environment was conducive for reading, he continued from where he left off.
Let's see... he thought with a trail.
He read:
"In the event the heavens start rejoicing, don't rejoice with them.
This would be a strong indicator that someone is trying to 'call'."
The Protector paused for a moment and thought about that. This wasn't the first time he came across this passage. In fact, he had come across it several times, but just never paid it any mind.
Call for who? he wondered.
He continued on:
"If such is the case, then remember these words as a warning:
Fovea seritutem estsolum emersit per illuminationem libertation
and
Funiculus triplex difficile nonestscissum est medium... sed cumfatum
est lieiatum in statera logicam erit askew."
The Protector stopped reading for a moment and took out a small piece of paper and a quill pen to write what he was reading down. Afterwards, he did a quick translation.
"'The pit of slavery is only emerged by the illumination of freedom,'" he uttered of the first, then translated the second. "'A threefold cord cannot be easily torn in two... but when fate is threaded in the balance, the logic will askew."
He narrowed his eyes puzzled.
Riddles? he thought. The author left the warning for whatever was happening in riddles? Why?
The Protector took in a deep frustrated breath at this, and didn't know what to make of it right away. It didn't make any sense the way it was. Illumination to freedom? Skewed logic? What did any of that have to do with anything?
"This is ridiculous," he muttered to himself, but knew at this point he had no choice. If he wanted some answers, he was going to have to be a little more open minded.
He read on:
"If there are four places, fine. However, that doesn't
mean there are four 'matters' of concern. Remember to get
to the root of the problem first before venturing off on the
endeavor."
The Protector looked at the two riddles in ancient Hylian once more, then reread that last passage.
Get to the root of the problem... he thought.
Then he saw something.
"Wait a minute..." he whispered to himself, "the root of the matter?" He narrowed his eyes slightly, and grabbed his chin. "'Matter' is a play on words, and in this case, since the writer was talking about the heavens, he must be referencing the stars. However, if there are four constellations, the root of that would only be two destinations, because the square root of four is two." He shook his head in minor disbelief. "You clever bastard," he whispered, "however, that one was child's play, the other two left in ancient Hylian, not so much."
He took in a deep sigh, then decided to close the book. He wasn't going to rack his brain tonight, there was no need for it. He had too much on his mind already.
"I'm going to need younger blood for this one," he said, then got up and blew out the candle.
With that, he picked up the paper he scribbled the riddles on and headed for the door.
He was going to have to call his young protege.
Bastion I hope you're ready for this, he thought, because whether or not we are ready, something is coming.
~SSS~
Ordon Village, Three Days Later: Ilia's POV
It was a typical crisp harvest afternoon in Ordon: the sun was shining, with a small cool bite in the air for it never to mistaken for summer, the wind was in the trees, swaying and dancing beautifully in the canopy, the fresh scent of pine and oak was in the air, reminding everyone that the forest was as endearing a place as any, and everyone in the village was tilling their land due to the upcoming Pumpkin Harvest. The Pumpkin Harvest was the biggest event of the year in our remote village. I looked forward to it because the festivities brought everyone together. There was nothing like it. There was music, there was dancing, and everyone went all out when it came to their cooking. I was planning a fire roasted goat with some pumpkin and cranberry chutney to go with it. It was going to be delicious, and I was sure no one was even close to being so ambitious with their meal. Uli had somehow gotten wind of what some of the others were saying about my cooking, and now a fire was lit inside her to up her own ante. Competition this year was going to fierce, and that only meant good food for all. I lived for a good roast. However, also too, I had my other reasons as well. There was 'that guy' I really wanted to impress. However, given his busy schedule, I wasn't sure he was going to attend the festival this year. I hated the thought of that, but that certainly was a possibility.
What could I do?
I seem to be the last person on his mind these days.
I stared up at the canopy where the light was diffracted when I thought about my childhood friend.
For all intensive purposes, Link should have been here tilling the land with the rest of us, but now that he was this big, important hero, his work at the castle trumped his priorities in our small remote village. I know I might sound a little jealous. I know I might sound a little jaded. I know Link thinks I worry too much, but I can't help it. When he acts like a fool I worry incessantly about him, and his behavior has been nothing short of stupid lately. I thought over time, he would revert back to his old self, but that was only wishful thinking on my part. In fact, he seemed even more distant than before, and maybe it was just me, but he seemed a little more arrogant as well. It's becoming the norm for him to be a little rude and make snide remarks he otherwise wouldn't. He was never like that before, and he used to take my, and everyone else's, feelings into consideration. When I learned about his falling out with Rusl, I couldn't believe we were talking about the same person. He never would have done that in the past. Now, he seemed like he couldn't stand to hear what I, or anyone in Ordon, had to say to him, and he had a little bit of a temper too. This past year had been a whirlwind for us, and I didn't even know where to begin to explain it. There's no denying I'm in love with him, but it wasn't just that. I knew deep down he was being plagued by something. Something that kept him up at night, and prevented him from having a mind at ease, and for whatever reason, he didn't want to share it with me.
He didn't seem to want to share anything with anybody.
I stretched, and rubbed the back of my neck.
However...
I can't pretend that I wasn't an aide in that myself, considering I've been standoffish towards him lately. However, even before that, I saw this sadness in his eyes that I didn't understand. I felt a coldness from him that was never there before. What had happened to him? What had happened to my best friend? I probably shouldn't have been so presumptuous in the past, but I was worried about him and couldn't help myself. Link seems better these days, and I don't know if that's because of his job, or some maiden who may have helped heal his heart... but I wish he would have shared that with me. Or better yet, I wish he would let that maiden be me. I know I'm good for him, he just doesn't see that for whatever reason, and really, what other girl knows him better than me? That's the problem with men, they don't understand that. They get plagued by that thing called 'physical attraction', and lose sight of what's important. It can cloud a person's thinking from what's logical, and Link and I being together is logical.
I could understand if there were no redeeming qualities about me at all, but that just wasn't the case. I was a reasonably good looking girl, Link said so himself. I was a great cook, and I do have to agree with him that my stew is the best in the village. I'm extremely well organized, and I'm a fore thinker. If I hadn't told everyone to integrate the seedlings for their pumpkins, the entire patch would be ruined for the harvest. I was inventive. I had a lot of great qualities.
So...
Why didn't Link love me the way I loved him? It didn't make sense to me. Why am I the only one that sees we're perfect for each other? And not just me, the entire village thinks we should be husband and wife. The entire village!
All this pondering made me sigh.
I didn't know what to think honestly. Maybe it was all those pretty maidens capturing his eye. Maybe it wasn't just the one girl he told me about. Maybe there were a dozen. Then, of course, maybe it wasn't just that. There were the rumors of the queen's extraordinary beauty. Maybe he was smitten with her, and that was why he spent so much time at the castle. Maybe he's keeping it from me. I wasn't sure.
I shook my head at my initial thought of that.
I can't believe he did something so stupid. Why would he sleep with someone he doesn't know? He could get seriously sick, or worse, what if the girl got pregnant?
I groaned and shuddered a little bit at the idea of Link being married to another woman.
I hated that. I hated the thought of that more than anything. It should have been me. The girl he should have made love to first was me. I wasn't going to lie, I was still angry with him because of that. I didn't know exactly the reason, but the anger was there. It didn't make sense for him to go out and find someone else, when all he had to do was ask me. Did he think I would say no? It was a foolhardy decision on his part, and because of that I found it hard to talk to him. It seemed a little immature on my part, true, but that was how I felt. Maybe I would be more forgiving in the upcoming months and speak to him at the Pumpkin Festival... if he attended, but not now.
I grunted slightly at the thought of that.
The Pumpkin Festival was six weeks away, a couple weeks after the Dragon Gala actually, and with that thought in mind, I hated the idea of Link participating in that race. Flying over the most dangerous terrain in all of Hyrule was not something I considered fun. Besides, Link doesn't know how to ride a dragon... well, at least, I didn't think he knows how to ride a dragon. That was the problem, I didn't know what went on with him anymore. He just came and went as he pleased. Maybe he was learning how to ride a dragon. Maybe he was ready for the most dangerous terrain in all of Hyrule. Maybe he was ready for all those things, and I just didn't know it.
I shook my head and sighed, tired of my constant thoughts of a man who didn't appreciate me. I was currently working in the garden picking weeds, while papa was speaking with Rusl on some business. I looked over at the two men and frowned. My life was so mundane compared to theirs. They spoke of intrigue and things related to politics, and what did I talk about? Garden tips and food. I guess there was nothing wrong with that, but I really wanted to get out of this remote village. I was twenty-one about to be twenty-two and I felt stagnated.
Maybe that's why Link is never around, I thought.
What had I really done with my life? What was interesting about me? I did rescue the Zora prince and helped heal him. That was something that was noteworthy, but besides that, what else had I done? I took in another deep sigh and decided to stop feeling sorry for myself. There was no point to it. It wasn't going to change anything, and I needed to be content with what I had going. At least I had my pumpkin patch and my books on dancing.
I paused for a moment and stared at the dirt.
That's really uninspiring when I really think of it, I thought.
I groaned, and headed for the cottage, but before I went inside, I was surprised to see an extraordinarily handsome bodice walking into the main village. It was Link, and he was heading down the road towards me from the impasse. Inadvertently, my heart skipped when I saw him. I felt silly having such a reaction, especially since I knew him since we were in diapers, but there was no denying that he did that to me. I wasn't sure I wanted to speak with him or not, but when he approached me, I stopped and looked away. I could tell this was going to be a short, impersonal visit like all our recent encounters, because he had his cloak on and looked like she was ready to go the castle.
Wonderful, I thought sarcastically.
He stopped short of me and grinned in that way I loved so much. He really made me sick with how unassumingly charming he was. He had no idea. His blue eyes shined in the sunlight of the canopy, and he ran a hand through his perfectly un-perfect dark blonde hair. It just fell into place around his handsome face, and he had no idea how gorgeous and ridiculously beautiful he was.
He's such a jerk, I thought bitterly.
"Good morning Ilia," he said with a slight nod.
I nodded back and still kept my face turned away.
"Good morning Link," I replied.
I could see from my periphery that he would have preferred for me to face him head on, but honestly that was hard for me to do. This was the best I could offer in the moment.
"Can I help you with something?" I asked in a formal way.
There was a long pause from him before he spoke, and I knew it was because he didn't appreciate me being so distant. Well, I had news for him, I felt the same way. I hated the fact that he was so distant from me as well. However, he took in a deep sigh and decided not to argue with me.
"As a matter of fact, you can," he replied, then opened his satchel and pulled out two small scrolls.
I finally turned to face him and looked at the scrolls puzzled.
"What's this?" I asked.
He grinned.
"They're tickets to the Dragon Gala," he said, "I want you to come."
I looked up into his eyes just then in surprise.
"Oh," I said, then looked at the scrolls again, "well, then why are you giving me two?"
Link chuckled for a moment.
"Because I want you to bring a date," he joked.
I didn't find it funny and didn't laugh. I actually found it to be really annoying.
He quickly stopped laughing and cleared his throat.
"I was kidding," he reassured, "they're for you and your father."
I nodded again when he said that and took them.
"Thank you," I said with a sigh, then added for no reason in particular, "why didn't you just give them to papa?" I asked.
Link paused for a moment and narrowed his eyes at me a little bit before he answered. He seemed to be studying me. His smiled faded just then.
"Because I wanted an excuse to talk to you," he replied, "you avoid me at every chance you can get, so this was the only way I knew you wouldn't."
I felt my eyes widen a little, and blushed when he put it that way. I looked down at his cloaked tunic to avoid his eyes.
That is true, I thought.
"Oh..." was all I said.
Link took in another deep sigh, then shook his head for a moment, and being the impulsive man that he was, he took me in a brief hug, and squeezed me tight in his strong arms. He stroked my hair, and it made me shiver.
"You're going to have to forgive me one day Illy," he whispered in my ear, and I knew exactly what he meant, "I just hope it's one day soon."
My eyes stung a little at his words, and I didn't reply. He pulled back, looked me in the eyes, and caressed my cheek. I wanted to cry but I didn't. I had been doing too much of that lately. Besides, it didn't help.
"I'll see you later huh?" he whispered. "And cheer up, I told you what worrying will do to your complexion."
I had to admit, that did get a smile out of me, which made his return.
"Awww, I got one," he said with a grin, "that's better."
He then leaned forward and kissed my forehead. I closed my eyes and held onto him for a second.
Sweet goddesses, I wish it was lower, I thought. This is why it's impossible for me to fall out of love with him. He does little things like this.
"Don't work too hard okay?" he said to me.
I simply nodded.
"Okay," I whispered.
With that, he turned and headed for the exit, and all I did was watch after him. Now, that he was gone, the tears decided to well back up again, and this time I didn't care that they were there. I watched as he headed out of my sight through the impasse.
Someday you're going to see I was right for you Link, I thought, and hopefully, like you, that someday will be soon.
~SSS~
The Rue Morgue Manor, Later That Day: Vincent's POV
Morgana hurried up the black velveteen stairs in a flurry of panic. The large house was empty and isolated of servants, and because of such, there was no need to put up appearances. She pounded on the door to her brother's room, and waited impatiently on the outside when she found that it was locked. She couldn't believe what the gossip mavens were saying about Vincent. Morgana just caught wind of what was going on at the ministry of protocol, and ascertained through legitimate circles, that her brother was no longer manning the post. It was no wonder he was staying at the manor so much lately, he had no place to go outside of it. He hadn't informed her of what was going on, and she wanted to know why. It wasn't like Vincent to keep things like this from her. However, the scholar on the other side looked over at the abridging in a calm fashion and quickly answered.
"Come in," he called.
Morgana immediately opened the door and stepped inside, looking anxious and flustered all at the same time. Vincent raised a brow at her slightly disheveled appearance, and made an instant hypothesis.
Has she gone to the district early today? he wondered.
"Yes my dear?" he verbalized as if nothing was the matter.
Morgana narrowed her eyes at him.
"You can't be serious!" she accused.
The advisor took in an annoyed breath.
"Please tell me where my befuddlement lies my lady?" he asked sarcastically.
Morgana took several steps forward and placed her hands on her hips.
"Don't you 'yes my dear' me!" she said scathingly. "Why didn't you tell me that you no longer head the ministry of protocol? What has happened?"
Vincent sighed and didn't answer right away.
Because I have other things to worry about, he thought.
"Nothing has happened Morgana," he said simply, "I didn't want you to worry."
Morgana looked at him dumbfounded. "You didn't want me to worry?" she repeated. "It's too late for that! Vincent, you do you realize we're in serious trouble, right?"
Vincent groaned, having known that fact since the hero stepped foot in Hyrule Castle. However, he believed their fortunes were about to change.
That can't be helped, he thought.
"What are you talking about?" he asked anyway.
Morgana scoffed.
"Besides the obvious problems in your office, I'm sure you know by now that the queen rejected what I had to say when I presented my case to her," she replied. "It's a shame too, because I was so sure that it would have worked."
Vincent narrowed his grey eyes at her. Her presumptuousness was going to cost them dearly if she wasn't careful.
"Serves you right for acting without instructions," he countered. "I told you not to act alone. Now, you've left me another mess to clean up. The little influence we had is quickly evaporating."
Morgana looked at him in apt disbelief.
"Are you serious?" she demanded. "This is your reply?"
The scholar was growing tired of the theatrics.
"Yes Morgana, it is," he replied.
She shook her head and looked at her brother heated.
"I can't believe you're saying this to me!" she replied. "I went out of my way to set up that proceeding to help you! You sound like an ungrateful bastard!"
Vincent got up from his desk just then and walked over to his sibling. He was annoyed with the fact that she couldn't see the big picture. This wasn't just about the hero. It was about making sure they got to their objective, and their objective was something far greater than the threats of a nosy peasant.
"I never asked you to do a thing, because I knew how her majesty felt about him," he stated. "I told you that he had more clout than you gave him credit for. You may have slept with him true, but he has the heart of her majesty. Right now, he's arguably the most powerful man in the country. His influence over the queen is strong. She even defied Prince Elbourne for. him. What makes you think that anything you may have said would have made one bit of difference?"
Morgana looked at her brother dumbfounded.
"Vincent-" she tried.
He had had enough of the nonsense she was spewing.
"Stick to your strengths Morgana," he interrupted. "I'm very well aware of what's going on. We almost have everything in place, and soon we won't even need to worry about the queen or her hero any longer."
Morgana narrowed her eyes slightly perplexed when she heard that.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
Vincent raised a brow and prepared to explain.
"I mean we're close," he said, "closer than you think actually. We only need the two keys to free the master, and Hyrule will be ours. I've been reading the interdict in the book these past few days, and I think I may have stumbled onto something."
Morgana hurried over to where her brother was studying and looked down at the manuscript.
"Where?" she asked, forgetting the chastisement she just received a moment ago.
Vincent smirked at his sister's enthusiasm and sudden amnesia, then turned the book several pages over and pointed right smack in the middle of the text.
"Right here," he said.
Morgana's initial reaction was one of surprise, but then she frowned when she looked on confused.
"What in Hylia's dear name...?" she wondered aloud.
Vincent was expecting her to say such. It was understandable.
"'Fovea seritutem estsolum emersit per illuminationem libertation,'" she uttered, "and Funiculus triplex difficile nonestscissum est medium... sed cumfatum est lieiatum in statera logicam erit askew." She shook her head after she read that. "What does it mean?"
Vincent tapped his finger on the page.
"That's exactly what I'm going to find out," he replied. "This might be the what we were looking for."
Morgana looked from the book to her brother.
"What makes you so sure?" she asked.
Vincent understood her doubt.
"Because it's in line with what's going on outside," he replied.
Morgana took in a deep breath. She nodded, but her cynicism was still there.
"Do you suppose everything will take place soon?" she asked.
Vincent raised a brow and his grey eyes seemed to glow.
"My dear, as I've said before, it's going to be sooner than you think," he replied. "When that time comes, the hero won't know what hit him."
~SSS~
Hyrule Castle Training Grounds, Later that Day: Link's POV
I arrived at Hyrule Castle nine hours into the morning, and entered the Hyrule Training Grounds in the same manner I was instructed to as before: from the back entrance. It was a significant detail only because of what was waiting for me on the other side of a large iron gate, and that was a dragon. The spacious facility was fifty acres in diameter, and used for training Hyrule's finest for combat. In the case of the here and now, the facility was turned into a makeshift obstacle course for dragon rearing. I had been bombarded with information related to the reptilian creatures in the last week, and I learned the hard way of the importance of approaching a dragon from the rear. It was definitely much different than wrangling a goat.
Much different.
I was still treating the wound inflicted on me because of that.
Getting back to the situation at hand, in the center of the arena was Zelvious, one of Queen Zelda's generals. Of all the men in Hyrule Castle, Zelvious was considered the best at dragon riding. I personally had no idea he was even capable of such feats, until I saw him take to flight a few days ago. In a word, he was amazing. He made dragon riding look easy. However, in relation to skill, he informed me that he would be considered mediocre compared to Prince Elbourne. That was saying a lot. It proved I couldn't take the dragon prince lightly. I knew from public knowledge that Elbourne had been dragon riding since he was ten years old. When he entered the Dragon Masters Academy at seventeen, he was already considered a professional rider. After graduating the academy at nineteen, he was considered a legend. He was undefeated in every race he entered, and the biggest fact to his credit was he never cheated.
Never.
It was all due to his own natural skill.
He was no joke when he got on top of a dragon.
I remember going to the gala right before he entered the academy years ago when I was sixteen and watching him take flight. He did things that I didn't think were possible on an aerial creature. My own personal experience garnered a much different attitude towards dragons, considering the only one I had any real contact with tried to kill me, and that was Argorok. If a rider didn't respect a dragon, then the rider wouldn't live, it was as simple as that. Also, the reptilian creatures had some pretty surprising facts about them.
I learned that even though they breathed fire, they were coldblooded, and their scaly exterior acted as a shell to protect them from extreme temperatures of heat or cold. The cooling effect, which was an adaptation of their blood, was essential in their survival in the lava pits of Dragon Roost and Goron Mines. The regulation of the fire effect, protected them from freezing cold if they flew over areas such as Snowpeak. They also relied on the lava pits to provide the warmth their bodies couldn't naturally provide internally. The fire breathing so many people feared was the product of a mutation the dragons developed over time to adapt to their environments. However, even still, it was extraordinary how the creatures could have such diametrically opposed internal structures, cold and hot, and function with relative ease. They were fascinating animals.
There were different distinctions in the taxonomy of the dragon classes, and this was where I got the most reeducation. There were four classes of dragons: the plasmosaurian, a two legged red dragon with an extended wingspan of fifty feet, the magisaurian, a four legged blue dragon with a shorter wing span than the preceding class, but heavier to due to its added weight and water density. The illumisaurian, a two legged white dragon with a even ratio of wing and weight balance, was both light and aerodynamically functional. It was considered the 'choice' dragon for most dragon riders, advanced or beginner. The last of the four classes was the dracosaurian, it was the black dragon. It was the biggest, the most powerful, and the most dangerous. The two legged creature boasted a wing span of nearly one hundred fifty feet when full grown. The gravitational force it created when it flapped its wings was nothing short of extraordinary. The fire range of its breath was seventy-five to eighty feet. It was considered the king of the dragon classes, and if a rider didn't know what they were doing, they would would fall to an untimely death with no questions asked. There were only two people in the entire region that could boast taming and training the black dragon: King Xavier and Prince Elbourne. I wasn't going to lie, by that fact alone, I was extremely impressed.
However, I wasn't going to take my chances trying to match the dragon prince toe to toe for skill. I was well aware who had the most skill. I was going to take the path of most reasonableness and train on the illumisaurian. I only had a few more weeks before the gala. There was no way I could even attempt training on a dracosaurian, let alone race with one. In the future, I planned to keep up with my dragon training, but as for now, I needed to train to win the race. I had to strategize as well as focus on what my objective was. My objective was getting the initiatives passed for her majesty. I couldn't lose sight of that. I had to think of Hyrule.
I continued my walk to the center of the training grounds, and met up with Zelvious, dressed in an iron mail and breastplate for protection. These were simply precautionary measures to make sure my 'Master Sword' stayed where it was supposed to. The scaly nature of the dragon's skin could serrate through human flesh easily. Zelvious too, was dressed in the same manner. He grinned when he caught sight of me. Zelvious was an enigma to many, but he enjoyed one thing very much, and that was fighting. I never saw a man more versed in different styles of combat than he, so it was only natural that he would take to dragon riding. The interesting fact was he did it more as a hobby, and that was saying something about what he considered fun.
I would never want to meet him in a dark alley on a wet rainy night, I thought. He would make someone pay dearly for it.
"Good morning Link," he greeted, "perfect day to get 'toasted' don't you think?"
I paused and looked at him offhandedly for a moment. I wasn't sure if I liked what he was implying with that, even though toasted was a fitting word.
"Good morning," I greeted back, "and I think the better phrase would be 'tested'."
Zelvious laughed.
"I suppose," he said with a nod. "Well, no sense wasting time with formalities, let's commence."
I couldn't agree more. I was eager to get started.
"Yes," I said with a nod, "let's."
With that, Zelvious whistled and gestured for the gatekeepers to open the large cage that was housing the white dragon.
"Open the doors!" he called.
At hearing that, he and I both cleared the area for what was to come. Near the edge of the grounds were several edifices that acted as stone barriers to hide behind. When the gate was completely opened, the illumisaurian took flight, but was stopped midway in the air due to a large steel chain shackled around its neck. The creature roared loudly at this and was forced to settle down. Zelvious and I had to cover our ears as the sound was deafening. By now there was a large group of citizens and servants peeking and poking out of the nearby windows of the castle to see what was going on. Ever since I started training I had garnered an audience. Everyone was eager to see the upcoming match up of the Hero of Twilight versus the Prince of Dragons.
After the loud disturbance, the illumisaurian made its aerial descent in a circular motion. Its vestiges extended upwards to capture the air caught in its wings. When it landed, the large white creature flapped its wings creating a minor pulsar from its focus of location. The pulsar forced Zelvious and I to cover our eyes until the minor windstorm subsided. When the dragon was more docile, we peeked from behind the barrier to see where it was looking. Fortunately, its backside was facing us and that was what we wanted.
"We better go now while its attention is diverted," Zelvious whispered.
I nodded in agreement.
"Sarginto seems a little rowdy today," I pointed out.
That was the dragon's name.
Zelvious grunted, but nodded in agreement to that as well.
"I was just thinking the same thing," he said, "I hope the men fed him last night, otherwise this might be a short lived flight."
I shot Zelvious a dirty look and shook my head.
How in the world can he joke about something like that at a time like this? I wondered. The man is certifiable.
"Come on!" he said quickly, ignoring my look.
We crept slowly from behind the barrier, and saw that the dragon's backside was still facing us. We moved steadily, but quickly, with Zelvious again darting for the perimeter and me jettisoning towards the animal. Before it could turn its head and see me, I ran up its tail and onto its back. The reason for this was because Sarginto was not yet tamed by me. Once the creature knew me, I could look it in the eyes, it would lower it head, and I could mount it that way. Until then, this would have to be sufficient. I took hold of the reigns and braced myself for the brief retaliation the illumisaurian was about to exhibit. As soon as my legs locked down, the creature went into a minor rampage. It turned several times to try and grab me off its back, and then hyper extended its neck to try and bite at me that way. It had no such luck, but this was the ritual every morning since I began. Sarginto got a little better each time, but that still didn't dispel him from having a tirade.
Once the dragon was settled, I sat up and patted its scaly back.
"That's a good boy," I said, "you see that wasn't so bad."
Dragons needed to be reassured that rider was not a threat to them, and rightly so. The species was slowly becoming extinct in Hyrule, due poachers capturing them for their much desired skin. Dragon skin armor was more valuable than any precious metal compilation put together. It was the most durable organic substance in the land. However, dragon poaching had been outlawed for years in both Hyrule and Dragon Roost. Even still, that didn't prevent hunters from getting what they wanted. It was a shame really, because dragons were magnificent creatures.
When the area was safe, Zelviuos came from the perimeter and approached slowly. Sarginto immediately turned its head in Zelvious's direction and assumed an attacking formation. However, when Zelvious raised his hand and whistled in a high undertone, the illumisauiran relaxed slightly and became more at ease. When the general approached completely, the dragon was calm, and Zelvious stroked its prominent scaly snout.
"You truly are a testament to Hylia's creations Sarginto," the general said with a notable pride.
I couldn't have a greed more.
The dragon truly was a magnificent sight. The ivory scales illuminated in the sunlight with a faint iridescence of pink, light green, and light blue. The eyes of the serpentine creature were like those of a snake, only instead of them being yellow, they were crystal blue. The dragon was considered medium size for its class, ranging from about thirty to forty feet in length. The wing span was thirty feet per wing, making for a sixty feet maximum extension. It was a nearly perfect ratio for its body type. I couldn't have asked for a better animal.
"Alright," Zelvious cued, "let's begin. I want you to start off with the usual exercises before we take flight."
I nodded in agreement and waited for the general to back up. Afterwards, I braced the reigns and leaned forward. The 'usual' exercises were six commands I had to master in order to control the route Sarginto went. When I pulled back, it generally meant for him to slow down. When I leaned to the left side, I wanted him to turn right. When I leaned to right I wanted him to turn left, because the signals were correlated to the opposite sides of the brain and body. I learned that the hard way when I first began.
Anyway, along with those three basic signals, there were three more intermediary signals based off of sound rather than movement. I had to lean in close to the dragon's body where the embedded skin encompassed the ear, and whistle softly in different distinct sounds for him to do what I wanted. If I whistled two short times, Sarginto would stop on a dime. If I whistled one long whistle he would speed up. Lastly, if I whistled three times in rapid succession he would get in attack mode. It sounded like it was easy, until I actually got in the air and had to do them on cue. I nearly fell the first few days of executing them, and realized then why Master Auru was so worried about me starting late. I went through the six exercises with relative ease that morning, as I was getting used to Sarginto, and he was getting used to me. We even did an extra maneuver for good measure, and because of that Zelvious was impressed along with the rest of the crowd.
I received a minor applause.
"Bravo good sir!" a young servant girl called from one of the windows.
I looked over my shoulder and merely nodded at the attention.
"Thank you," I called back.
However, Zelvious wanted me to remain focused.
"You're not through yet," he said with a grin, "it's now time for you to take to flight over Hyrule Field and back six times. For that will account for how long the race will be. You also need to take into consideration the terrain will be far more dangerous than a field of grass. You'll actually be heading into Death Mountain at one point and you'll need to dress in a fire resistant material."
I nodded, having already considered that.
"Alright," I replied.
Zelvious then backed up and held up his arm.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
I grabbed onto the reigns tight and leaned forward.
"I'm ready," I said.
With that, Zelvious moved out of the way and gestured towards the heavens. I held on tight and whistled low. Afterwards, Sarginto expanded his wings and slowly started moving forward. There was several hundred feet ahead of us, so when Sarginto picked up speed he began to flap his wings. The aerodynamic force he created with just the slow stride was very telling of the dragon's strength. We ascended higher and higher, until we were several hundred feet in the air. When we were stationary in our gliding position, I leaned forward and whistled in his scaly ear long and low, afterwards he took off.
If I wasn't holding on tight I would have fallen off his back. I turned and looked below and saw that Hyrule Castle getting farther away from me. Zelvious and all the others were watching. However, from the top tower window, I saw a person I wasn't expecting to see. There, watching in expectation, was Queen Zelda, looking beautiful in her green gown, and her hair up in a wreath of flowers. I swear, that woman could wear a sheet and she would look stunning. With the added eyes, I suddenly had a reason to go all out on this run over Hyrule. I was tempted to swoop down and pick her up to take her on a ride with me, but one presumptuous act would be enough.
I looked towards the sky, then down out at Hyrule Field.
"Let's do this for her majesty," I whispered to the dragon. "We'll put a smile on her face this morning."
Sarginto seemed to be in agreement, because before I could give the command, he took off once more. I had to brace myself and hold on tight as we whipped through the air over southern Hyrule Field. I had to struggle to keep my eyes open, but I managed to pull my reigns left to guide Sarginto right. The illumisaurian roared slightly, but followed my command. We then headed north over Kakariko Gorge and Death Mountain. The Hylia Borealis was shining magnificently that day, and we spearheaded over the phenomena like it was any other normal terrain in Hyrule. I leaned in on the dragon and whistled slow and low again, Sarginto immediately sped up and flapped higher over Death Mountain.
It was incredibly freeing.
"Woo hoo!" I yelled out in excitement.
This was the most exhilarating feeling in the world.
From the clouds above, I could see the mines and fires of the kingdom of Dragon Roost. The Roostians were probably all in an uproar over this gala being the greatest ever. There was talk of even accommodating extra seating for twenty thousand more people. The tickets were already sold out, but more were made and printed due to the high demand. The Prince of Dragons versus the Hero of Twilight was going to be a huge draw. Sarginto and I continued our flight over Zora's Domain, where many of the Zoras flipped and swam as we flew by. Sarginto flew so close, that some of the surface water was disturbed and splashed on my face. I couldn't help but laugh. I had a feeling the dragon was planning that. Even though he couldn't speak, he still had a sense of humor. We continued our flight over Snowpeak and then the Gerudo Desert. I could see the Cave of Ordeals and the Arbiter's Ground, both looked so small from where I perceived them.
This is incredible! I thought with the wind in my face.
"I'm king of the world!" I shouted as I pulled towards the left to guide Sarginto to the right.
The dragon roared again and followed the command. We then made our way back to Hyrule Field towards the castle. Sarginto and I did that same circuit five more times before we descended back down to the training grounds. When the flight was over, we received a thunderous applause from everyone watching.
"Bravo Master Link!" a stable boy called out. "You really showed that dragon how it's done!"
I grinned and patted the illumisaurian on the back.
"No," I corrected, "Sarginto and I were working together."
A few watching nodded in agreement, and I looked to see if the woman I wanted to impress was still looking on. She was, and I think there was a smile on her lovely face. I made a subtle hand gesture in her direction, hoping she would see it. Apparently she did, because she gestured back. Her acknowledgement alone was worth the flight for me. Afterwards, she turned and headed back into the castle. My smile faded a little now that she wasn't watching, and I wished she would call for me, or at least let me come see her. Zelda had no idea how much I missed her. I was used to seeing her four times a week, but ever since that fiasco with Morgana, she had yet to call for me. I tried not to let it bother me, but that was proving difficult. I was tempted to go a little rogue and visit her via her secret passageway to her bedroom. She couldn't avoid me then. However, I knew that wasn't my focus right now. Right now, I needed to finish my exercises and master my command sets.
"Good job," Zelvious complimented, getting my mind back on the task at hand, "but now you need to get faster, you're way too slow on your turns. If this were the arena, you would have been in last place."
The good vibrations I felt from my ride suddenly left me.
"Last place?" I repeated.
Zelvious nodded, then clapped to cue me.
"Come come now," he said, "you need to do it again, and you need to beat your old time by at least ten minutes."
I felt my eyes widen.
Ten minutes? I thought.
"Are you serious?" I asked.
It was a silly question, he was dead serious.
Zelvious didn't reply, he just looked.
I sighed and gripped Sarginto's reigns once more. There was no use arguing with the man. What needed to be done had to be done, and with that I took to flight once more. No matter how many times I did it, it felt great.
For a short while, I was king of the world.
~SSS~
Later That Evening: Ordon Village
I arrived home well after dusk and decided to retire early for the evening. The day had been eventful enough, with the dragon training and everything. I still wasn't sure if it was going to be enough for challenging the dragon prince, but I could only do what I could. Seeing Zelda's face today put another whole dimension on what this really meant. I saw the look of confidence, but also the look sadness and doubt in her eyes. She tried to mask it, but I knew it was there more or less because of what happened recently in the courts with Morgana. I hated that she didn't look at me the same way she once did, and I hoped she would never see me the way the other nobles saw me. She was just too precious to me to let down.
Zelda... I thought with a trail.
I was confused about my feelings for the queen of Hyrule right now. After what Bastion had inferred regarding the mirror, I suddenly felt an old inkling starting to stir inside me for Midna. There was no doubt in my mind I cared very deeply for Zelda, but now I wasn't sure I was in love with her the way I initially thought. I felt guilty for being so swayed with my feelings, but they were what they were. I couldn't deny that Midna still held a very special place in my heart, and that I wanted more than anything to see her again.
With that being the case, then honestly, why was this even a problem? Why was I even confused? It should have been very simple if I was in love with Midna: if I loved her as much as I claimed, I should have been with her. It was as simple as that. However, there was something about Zelda that just tugged at my heart strings. I didn't know how to explain it, but it was there. It wasn't just her beauty and grace either, she was also loyal and kind, she had a big heart, and she cared for her people. She always thought of others before herself. She was determined and strong willed, and I admired that about her very much. She was this perfect woman, and I wasn't going to lie, I hated the thought of another man experiencing her perfection over me. It was a selfish inclination for me to have, but I would be lying if I stated it wasn't there. It was definitely there, and it was something I needed to ponder seriously over.
Did I want her as just my friend, or did I want to pursue her for something more? I had been going back and forth on this issue for months now. It wasn't fair to Zelda that I was so undecided. She deserved a straight forward answer from me. I knew that was what she waiting for. I couldn't expect her to be forthcoming with her feelings for me when I wasn't forthcoming with her. I needed to remedy that.
Don't play with her heart, I told myself.
I sighed, then washed up, and got ready for bed. I didn't go into the village because I had some reading I needed to catch up on. There were several books that her majesty let me borrow a few weeks ago that I was still utilizing. A few of them were books on ancient Hylian and Hylian law. The other was that strange arcane text called The Secret Mysteries of All the Ages Zelda showed me a few months ago. I came across a passage a few days ago that captured my attention, and I needed to find it again, it was something about the 'heavens rejoicing'. I wasn't sure what that meant.
I sat down at my table under the light of the lantern, when suddenly there was a knock on my door. I looked up from my text in minor surprise, I wasn't expecting anyone to see me tonight. I assumed it was probably Rusl or Bo to discuss something related to the upcoming festival. I marked my page, and stopped reading for a moment to go and answer the door. To my surprise, on the other side was Ilia. She was holding a small cauldron covered with a checkered cloth, and a pig skin flask. She was the last person I was expecting to see me, especially given what's happened between us lately, however, I was glad she was there. I hadn't seen her in a while.
She smiled and nodded.
"Good evening," she said politely and quietly.
I nodded back.
"Good evening," I replied, "I wasn't expecting you to come by."
Ilia looked down and took in a deep sigh, almost anticipating that reception.
"I know," she replied, "papa and I had some extra rabbit stew, and I wasn't sure you had eaten or not. So, I decided to bring you some. If you don't want it, it's okay, I can leave."
I raised a brow, shook my head, and smiled at her.
This woman, I thought.
"I wouldn't think of it," I said, then took a step back, "please come in."
Ilia nodded, then walked past me into the house. I closed the door behind her and took the small cauldron from her.
"That was very thoughtful of you," I commented right away. "I've been so busy, I would have forgotten all about supper."
Ilia grinned at me and removed the shawl she was wearing.
"I know," she replied, "that's why I have to look out for you."
I chuckled and walked past her to the hearth near the back of the room. She watched after me, but then glanced down at the table and took note of the book I was reading. It immediately captured her attention.
"What are you studying?" she asked.
I shrugged and placed the pot down over the subtle fire settled in the hearth.
"Just some things for work," I replied, keeping it as vague as possible. "My occupation keeps me busy with knowing a little of everything."
Ilia read the cover and ran her fingers over the leather bound codex.
"Secret Mysteries of All the Ages," she uttered, "hmph, sounds interesting," she said seriously.
I turned my head and grinned at her.
"It's more like riddle solving than interesting," I said, stirring at the embers a little, "the author was said to be a little crazy."
All I was doing was peaking her interest, and that was something I was trying to avoid.
"Really?" she asked.
I realized I needed to get her mind on something else, and quickly fanned her reply off, then changed the subject.
"Really, and trust me, your books on dancing are probably much more entertaining than this," I replied, "but that's not important, what's important is what brought you by. What did I do to deserve this honor?"
Ilia's grin widened to a smile and she sat down at the table when I put the notion like that.
"No need to be sarcastic Mr. Hero," she said.
I shook my head.
"No sarcasm intended my good lady," I replied, "I was serious."
She looked down at the book once more and shrugged.
"There was no real reason to be honest," she said simply, "I just wanted to see you. I felt bad for avoiding you for so long."
I nodded and stood up from the hearth after I had the pot settled the way I wanted it.
"Don't worry about that," I replied, "I understood why."
Ilia looked down at her hands and blushed. She probably didn't like the implication I put there, however, there was no going around it. It was what it was.
"Yeah..." she trailed, obviously not wanting to rehash the past, "that doesn't matter now. Anyway, I wanted to know how you were holding up?"
I raised my eyebrows and took in a deep sigh. In all honesty, that was a loaded question. The short answer was that I was okay for the moment. The long term answer was that I wasn't sure what the consequences might be. I sat down at the table across from her.
"I'm okay," I said, which was true, "I just have a lot on my mind."
She nodded as she sat back in the chair.
"You seem like you're under a lot of stress," she said, "and I heard about what happened at the ball."
My ears perked when she said that.
"At the ball?" I inquired, pretending not know what she was talking about.
Ilia gave me an obvious stare.
"Don't give me that, yes, at the ball," she said, "you know what I mean. You nearly battled it out with the dragon prince, and you got shot with a crossbow projectile while protecting the queen. It's in every gossip circle all over Hyrule."
I had no rebuttal for that.
"Oh," was all I said.
She looked irritated.
"Oh?" she repeated. "Why didn't you say anything? Why were you walking around as if that wasn't a big deal?"
I grinned at her concern.
"That's the thing, I did say something Ilia," I replied. "I told your father and Rusl, however, you weren't speaking to me, remember?"
Her eyes widened and she looked away, feeling a little foolish for what she just said.
"Yeah... right, I remember," she replied.
There was a brief silence between us after that.
It didn't last long.
"Even still," she said, breaking it, "you should have told me."
I chuckled lightly at her wanting to still chastise me.
"You're right of course," I replied.
She avoided my eyes, and stroked her hair behind her ears.
"Well, obviously since that wasn't a bother to you," she started, "was there anything else on your mind?"
I crossed my arms over my chest and pondered over the question for a moment.
"There is a lot riding on the Dragon Gala," I replied at the change of subject, "I need to make the most of this opportunity."
When I said that, Ilia looked away again. There was another brief silence between us, and this one had a bit of tension to it. I looked at her down casted eyes and saw the worry she was trying to conceal.
I think I know why she's here, I thought, suddenly having a minor epiphany.
The silence lasted for several minutes, until I decided to break the quiet.
"Are you okay?" I asked finally.
Ilia took in a deep sigh and shook her head.
"Honestly no," she said quietly, "no Link, I'm not okay."
I saw her trying to keep her emotions in check. She was obviously concerned about my well being.
"What is it?" I asked.
She avoided my eyes still, and bit her lower lip.
"I'm worried about you," she said finally.
I grinned.
I thought so, I pondered.
"Worried how?" I inquired.
Ilia shook her head again and looked annoyed at my question.
"You competing in the Dragon Gala, that's how," she replied. "There are no rules in the arena Link."
I nodded, already understanding her concerns.
"I'm aware of that," I said.
She looked at me upset just then.
"You're aware of that?" she repeated with a slight anger.
She probably thought I wasn't taking her seriously. That wasn't the case. I was taking her very seriously.
"Yes Ilia," I replied, "I'm aware of that."
She put her hand to her lips, not understanding why I wasn't seeing things her way.
"People have died in the gala," she said bluntly, "more experienced riders have met terrible fates Link."
I wanted to dispel her fears, and reached over and grabbed her hand.
"I'll be okay," I reassured.
Her bottom lip trembled after that, and she pulled her hand away.
"What if you're not okay?" she demanded. "What if something happens to you?"
I tried to smile.
"Then I'll deal with it when the time comes," I replied simply.
Ilia looked at me like I was crazy.
"When the time comes?" she repeated in disbelief. "You think this is a joke? This is your life!"
I was touched that she was so concerned about me, but I didn't think it was warranted. She wasn't giving me any credit for all the training I was putting in.
"Ilia-" I tried.
"No Link!" she interrupted, and stood up abruptly. "You can't have a cavalier attitude about this! This isn't something that you should take lightly!"
I followed suit and stood up myself, but then went around the table and took my friend in a tight secure hug.
"I'm not taking this lightly," I said softly into her hair, "I promise, come on, please stop worrying so much."
Ilia buried her head in my chest and trembled a little after that, and that was when I knew she was crying. She was so emotional lately, but I knew in this case it was duly justified. I would be extremely insensitive not to take her feelings into consideration when all she was doing was expressing her concern for me. I took in a deep breath and held her tighter.
This silly girl, I thought.
"Come on, stop crying," I whispered, "you're going to make this hard for me."
At hearing that, Ilia pulled back, wiped her eyes, and looked into mine.
"Good," she said with a slight defiance, "I want this to be hard for you. I don't want this to be some easy decision."
I stared into her eyes, and caressed her wet cheek.
"That's not very nice," I teased.
She was getting more and more aggravated by my attitude.
"Will you stop patronizing me?" she demanded. "It isn't funny!"
For some reason that made me laugh lightly, and I leaned forward to kiss her forehead. She sighed when I pulled away and she looked me in the eyes just then. She reached up and caressed my cheek tenderly.
"You think it's all a joke," she whispered, "well, I don't consider any of this a joke."
I took in a deep breath and nodded at her words.
"I know," I replied, "I was just trying to make things easier for you."
She shook her head.
"You won't make things easier for me by keeping me in the dark," she replied. "I'll just worry about you more." She stared into my eyes, then looked at my lips. "I love you so much Link."
I felt the smile on my face fade slightly, and I looked at her seriously just then.
There was a brief silence between us.
"Ilia..." I trailed, not sure what to say back.
She knew what my hesitancy was, but she chose not to look away anyway.
"You don't have to say it back," she said with a slightly choked voice, "I just wanted you to know that."
I nodded slowly.
"I understand," I replied.
Ilia continued to stare into my eyes, and caressed my cheek once more, before she reached up and unexpectedly kissed me on the lips. I would have initially pulled away, but I didn't. I kissed her back because I knew it was something she needed. She was concerned about me, and she was wearing her heart on her sleeve right now. It wasn't easy for her to tell me these things, and it would be insensitive of me to not acknowledge it. I didn't want her to feel as though she weren't important to me. That wasn't the case. Ilia was very important to me, and I think her showing it was something that was important to her. However, as she got more needy, she reached up and wrapped her arms around my neck. She kissed me harder, and slipped her tongue in my mouth. That was when I had to pull away.
I looked into her eyes and saw the eagerness there.
"You better go," I whispered, "it's late."
She bit her lower lip and shook her head no.
"It's not that late," she whispered.
I shook my head.
"Yes it is," I replied, "and I think you know why I'm saying this to you."
I knew she didn't want me to hear that from me, and defiantly she reached up and kissed me again. Her mouth was hot, and she was persistent, but once again I had to pull away.
"Ilia-" I tried.
She went to silence me.
"Just once please," she begged, and I knew exactly what she was asking me.
I looked at her surprised.
"Ilia-" I tried.
"Please," she interrupted in a choked up voice, "I just want to be close to you. You're the only man I've ever wanted Link."
I closed my eyes as she buried her head in my chest.
"We can't," I said.
She pulled back and tried to dispel what I was saying.
"But I-" she tried.
I knew I needed to reason with her.
"What if your father saw us right now?" I interrupted. "What then Ilia?"
Ilia bit her lower lip as tears refilled her eyes. She took in a deep sigh and shook her head.
"I'm a grown woman Link," she replied, "I'm old enough to make my own decisions."
I shook my head.
"Stop avoiding my question," I said.
I knew that would negate her. She was quiet for a moment before she finally sighed.
"He wouldn't approve," she answered finally.
I nodded.
"Exactly," I replied. "A lot of what you're saying is purely based on emotion. I know you're worried about me, but you need to understand that if the race doesn't happen, then all of our efforts at the castle will have been for nothing."
Ilia avoided my eyes just then.
"I don't care about your work at the castle," she said stubbornly, "I care about you."
I lifted her chin so she would look at me.
"Yes you do," I replied, ignoring her last comment, "come on Ilia, you're bigger than this."
She swallowed hard and closed her eyes again.
I caressed her cheek, hoping she would understand.
"Can you try and see it that way?" I asked finally.
She reopened them and stared into my eyes for a long time after hearing that, then reluctantly nodded.
"I'll try," she whispered.
I took in a relieved breath and grinned at her after that. I hugged her once more.
"Thank you," I replied, "you're the best."
Ilia hugged me back, and rested her head on my chest again.
"I know," she whispered, and for some reason that made me laugh.
I looked down at her.
"I'm glad you know," I replied, "besides, I need you to cheer for me in the stands."
Ilia pulled back and looked up at me again.
"That's true," she said.
There was another silence between us, and this time I knew she was going to have to leave.
"You want me to walk you to your house?" I offered.
Ilia shook her head no, and sighed.
"That's alright," she replied, "I'll be okay, thanks anyway."
I nodded.
"Alright," I said.
Ilia let me go and avoided my eyes. She hurried to the door and picked up her shawl in the process. I stopped her for a moment.
"Are you sure you don't want me to walk you home?" I offered again.
She turned to look at me.
"I'll be fine," she insisted, "thank you just the same."
I grinned at her.
"No problem," I replied.
With that, she nodded and went out the door. When she was gone, I took in a deep breath.
That was close, I thought, then sat back down at the table.
I resumed the spot where I was previously reading. I couldn't dawdle, I needed to try and get some answers. However, I couldn't deny one thing. I appreciated a friend like Ilia.
I appreciated her indeed.