Chapter Two: Why (Ilia)

Why? Why haven't you returned home yet? I just don't understand! Why, Link, why? I know that you had a higher duty to attend to than to stay by me, but now the darkness is gone and you have yet to return. Why didn't I tell you sooner? Why couldn't I bring myself, even after all of these years, to tell you that I love you? Why didn't I ever tell you that I wished you luck? If only you weren't the chosen hero then perhaps we could have been together and you might have returned to me…

I know. I'm being selfish. I fear something might have happened to you. Although you never said a word to me, I could understand you all along. I know that you were afraid of the fate that had been thrust upon you; I know that you were afraid to leave the safety of this place, but I also know that your courage was stronger than any of your fears. But why won't you come home, even just to say hello?

I rolled over in my bed, unable to fall asleep. It had been two days since I arrived back home along with the rest of the children from Kakariko Village. It's good to be home, but without Link, something seems like it is missing. The place is far quieter, the people are more subdued, and the days seem longer than ever. And we are all restless. He was a major part of my life… of all of our lives…and now he was gone.

Was he afraid of returning? Was he afraid of the peace now that he had faced with danger for so long? Or…was he afraid of me? I felt a pang in my heart as I thought of this possibility. After all, it was I who had forgotten him. Even with my memory gone, I should have at least been able to feel in my heart that he was no stranger. How could I have been so stupid? He must think that I couldn't have really loved him if even my heart had forgotten him!

I got out of bed, sick of tossing and turning beneath the covers. I slipped out the door and into the cold night. I needed to get some fresh air if I was ever going to figure any of this out. I went to sit down on the mesa that overlooked the entire village, when I felt a small hand tug at my long shirt.

It was Collin, one of the kids who followed Link like he was some kind of hero. Well, I couldn't argue, he was a hero. And not just to me and the kids. "Are you okay, Ilia?" he asked me sincerely.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied to him. I didn't want to bother him in the middle of the night. Now that I thought about it, what was he doing up in the middle of the night? Surely his parents wanted him to be in bed at this hour.

He looked up at me with concerned eyes. "No, your eyes are sad. Something's wrong. Tell me about it, it won't bother me. Remember, I'm training to be big and strong like Link!"

At the mere mention of Link's name, tears filled my eyes. I dropped to my knees and started to cry. "Why?" I started saying over and over again. "Why won't he come back? Why won't he just visit for a single moment? Why? Why?"

Collin put his tiny arm around my shoulders and tried to console me. "Don't worry, Ilia, I'm sure he'll come back soon. He must have gone to see some of the friends he made on his journeys, so it's just taking him a little longer. Don't cry." He looked at me with his big blue eyes and tried his best to give me a comforting smile, but I could see that he, too, had worry in his eyes.

We sat there until dawn, with me crying and Collin trying his best to comfort me. Of course, my eyes had stopped crying long before the dawn, but my heart was still shedding tears like there was no tomorrow. I had never before had such an ache as this.

Then Collin said, "Why don't you come to sword training with me today? It might get your mind off of some of this."

Innocent though his offer was, the sword only reminded me of Link. He was the best swordsman in our village, perhaps even the greatest swordsman in all of Hyrule. But I had to take him up on the offer. If I could learn some fighting skills, I might be able to leave Ordon on my own to go and find Link. And maybe, I might even have gotten an important delivery job like Link had gotten so that I would be able to travel to Hyrule castle.

So, when Russl, Collin's father, walked out of his home, we both put on a smile and waved down to him. He waved back to us.

"Ready for some training, my boy?" he called to Collin. "And what about you, little lady? Would you like to join us for a morning of sword-swinging fun?" he called to me.

I nodded, and Collin shouted, "Be there in a moment, Father!" Before you could say, "Ordon Village," the two of us climbed down from the mesa that overlooked the village and stood in front of Russl.

"Ilia, you'd best go tell your father where you'll be. And what you'll be doing. I have no intention in getting you or myself in trouble, okay? We'll wait for you here." He smiled and pushed me away.

I ran as fast as I could back to my house. My father, the mayor, was still asleep in bed. I walked over to him and shook him slightly awake. He grunted. "Daddy?" I asked.

"Yes, Ilia?" he replied, still half asleep.

"Can I go to the woods with Collin and Russl for some sword training?"

"So you want to be big and strong, just like your old man, eh? Go ahead, I won't stop you. You're a big girl now; you can make decisions on your own." And with that, he rolled back to sleep.

I ran back to Russl and Collin and told them that my dad had said okay. We went off into the woods, and for the rest of the day, we trained together beneath the shelter of the trees.

When twilight had fallen, Russl said, "My, Ilia, you certainly are a fast learner."

"Yeah," added Collin. "You're already better than me! But that's only because you have stronger arms than I do! When I get bigger and stronger, I'm going to get better than you and just as good as…" he hesitated as he was about to say Link's name. He didn't want to see me cry again. Although I knew what he was really going to say, he blurted out, "Just as good as my dad!"

Russl said that since I had shown such a great adeptness at wielding a short-sword, he would let me go on a special delivery job. I was so happy.

"Where do you want me to deliver to?" I asked him, my heart filling with the hope that I could find Link.

"Hyrule Castle. The sword and shield that I had asked Link to deliver were stolen, and so they never would up being delivered. However, I have made a new set. You may feel free to practice with them until you get to the castle. How would you like that?" he smiled at me.

"I'd love to! Thank you so much! But how do I get there?"

"You can take my horse, Lilly. I'm sure she'd be more than happy to leave the stables."

"Oh, thank you so much, Mr. Russl. I'll do my best to deliver the weapons as soon as possible!" So, he handed me the Ordon Sword and Shield, and I ran home to pack my bags. I would do my best to get a good-night sleep so that I could be on my way first thing in the morning. I lie down in my bed and immediately fell asleep. This was the first time I had done that since I had regained my memory.

In the morning, I said goodbye to my father, took Lilly from the stables, and packed my stuff on her back. I saddled up and took off into the dawn. I couldn't believe it. I was leaving the village of my own free-will. I was going to see Hyrule Castle for the first time in my life. And I was determined to find Link, the love of my life.