Hi peoples! I know this is sort of quick, but I'm just sooo excited about this fanfic, and your reviews have encouraged me so much! Thanks again, everyone, and enjoy! I'll update again as soon as possible :DDD

Chapter Three: In the Spring

Link froze. The words Ilia had just uttered didn't seem to be registering in his utterly perplexed mind, and he just stared at her blankly. The tears continued running down her cheeks, and her hands instinctively squeezed his. Link just didn't know what to say. He never imagined that something like this could happen: Ilia, his best friend in the whole world, falling in love with him. Though Link didn't show it (he was good at hiding his emotions), in his mind was only shock, confusion, and horror.

"I know you're probably shocked right now, but I needed to tell you. Ever since I got my memory back, I just," She paused, sniffling again. "I realized how much you mean to me. I'm hopelessly in love with you, Link." Her lips trembled, and her watery green eyes stared piercingly into his bright blue ones. He couldn't tell her that he didn't return the feeling… He couldn't tell her that he had fallen in love with another…

Link licked his lips anxiously and blinked, forcing himself to face the facts that his best friend loved him. Though he never really talked anyway, he honestly didn't have anything to say. He didn't want to hurt her, but at the same time, he didn't want to put his own heart through suffering. It been through enough of that already since Midna left. Ilia, knowing him better than anyone else in all of Hyrule, realized that he hadn't been ready for that kind of information.

"I guess you need some time to think about this." She chuckled nervously, lifting her hands from his to wipe her eyes. "I'll go, um, wash Epona for you." She started to back away, but Link grabbed her shoulder. He didn't want her to be upset with him. Sensing his emotions, she hugged him affectionately, and he held her tightly. For Link knew that, eventually, if what Ilia said was true, she was going to get her heart broken.

As she walked back toward the village where Epona was waiting, Link sighed heavily and turned toward the railing of the swaying bridge. He sat down, swinging his legs over the edge. Taking off his green hat and placing it in his lap, he ran his hand through his sandy hair, his mind racing.

Ilia loves me. He thought. But I don't love her. How do I tell her that? She's so sensitive and delicate.

When Link had accidently injured Epona before his journey to Hyrule Castle, Ilia had stolen her out of rage. That simply proved her sensitivity, plus her love of animals. Link groaned in frustration, putting his head in his hands in exasperation. That one statement from Ilia was about to turn his whole world upside down. Their relationship would never be the same. When Ilia would speak to him, it would be different. There would be awkwardness in the air, and he realized this. He hoped that she realized it, too.

…Link… A haunting howl entered his mind as he sat on the bridge, and he jerked his head up. Could it be? …Come…to…my…spring…

It had been so long since Link had heard those eerie words. It was Ordona beckoning to him. Goose bumps appeared on his skin, and he cringed inwardly. His hands began trembling involuntarily as he grabbed the rope railing to help himself stand up, and then placed the hat on his head. Last time he'd heard those words, it had been a very, very bad thing. The Twilight had been attacking Hyrule.

…O brave hero… Please… come… The words resonated in his mind, and he broke into a sprint towards the sacred spring.

A harsh wind blew by as he ran, and he could almost feel the evil presence in the summer breeze. The water splashed beneath his boots as he rushed into the circular area, and out of habit, he dramatically pulled the Master Sword from his back. He crouched low, looking around in paranoia for anything he should be worried about. There was, surprisingly, nothing. There was nothing but the rippling water and swaying trees. As he straightened up and sheathed his sword, the gate behind him closed with a large SLAM! He jumped, as he turned around, startled by the sudden noise. He bolted to the gate, pulling and pushing. It wouldn't open. Cautiously, he froze, lifting his hands from the gate. Then he slowly moved back, one step at a time. Something strange was going on in the spring.

"…Hero of Time…" This time, Ordona's words were spoken out loud. As Link turned around, it happened. The water began glowing golden, and a strange, crown-shaped droplet of water erupted from the spring. He took a step back as the light spirit, Ordona, appeared. The large, rippling, golden orb was placed in between her horns, but there was something different about her. It was a drastic change, and Link noticed it immediately. Instead of her normal, regal shade of gold and white, Ordona was sickly green and black. He shuddered at the change. Yet he found it relieving the orb was still safe.

"Come closer, brave Link. Look at me. I don't have much time…" Link obeyed, taking a few cautious steps forward. The new colors of the light spirit frightened him immensely: green and black didn't seem like a good combination. Her once smooth, silky voice was hoarse and raspy. "My gold and white is gone, replaced by a horrid green and black. I am deeply sorry, for I know that it has not been long since you saved Hyrule from the Twilight. But I fear a new evil is approaching. It is not the evil of the Twilight Realm that you so bravely vanquished. My light and the light of the other three spirits is safe, thank the goddesses…" She paused, letting her words sink into Link's mind.

Her apology made him alert. If she was apologizing, it must mean that a difficult task was awaiting him. Though it was true that he had just defeated Ganondorf, he was ready for anything that would keep Hyrule and its people safe.

"I am also sorry to say that the evil that has done this to me is one I am not familiar with. Hyrule has never seen any evil such as the one that cursed me. But I must tell you this, young hero: this evil is not to be underestimated." Ordona took another pause, and he saw that her energy was leaving her. "I hope it has not yet reached the others. I can, however, tell you what exactly has happened to me. You know, Link, that I am the spirit protecting this spring and the area in which you reside. My health means the health of Ordon. Being a light spirit, one would think that my health is not something to be put in jeopardy. Link…" She closed her eyes, and Link took an instinctive step forward. Something was wrong with the light spirit.

"O brave Hero of Time… I have been plagued with a terrible sickness. I am dying."

Those words shocked Link even more than Ilia's had.

"If I die, than Ordon dies along with me. The light will remain, but for no reason. The people here will die… Everything will be gone. I fear the same is going to happen with all the other spirits, and if that is true, then all of Hyrule will succumb to this sickness. I am almost positive that the virus is already spreading. But Link… Only you and the chosen ones of the goddesses can save Hyrule… Listen carefully to what I tell you now… It is of crucial importance. You must—"

Ordona's words were interrupted by the sound of hooves approaching, and Link whirled around anxiously.

"Link? Are you in the spring?"

Ilia.

"Find the other spirits!" Ordona whispered hastily and rather hoarsely. Link reached his hand out in protest, but she disappeared as quickly as she had appeared. As soon as she was gone, Ilia opened the now unlocked gate to the spring with Epona. Everything that Link had just been experiencing was gone, and he was left in a state of wonder and terror.

"Hi, Link." She waved. To Link's relief, she was acting as if nothing had ever happened. He, however, had not forgotten… and now there was something else on his crammed mind. Ordona's words echoed in his ears, and but he blinked back to reality at the sound of Ilia's peppy voice. He also tried to act as if everything was okay.

Link lifted a hand in greeting and stepped forward toward her. He tried to keep his focus on Ilia, but it was an extremely difficult feat.

"What are you doing in the spring?" She tilted her head curiously, chuckling. Link opened his mouth to respond, but he couldn't think of a lie to tell her. Link wasn't somebody who was usually dishonest. "Eh, why does it matter? Do you want to help me wash Epona?" Link smiled and grabbed the sponge she was handing him.

Link had a night of restlessness. The goddesses didn't allow him even one minute of sleep. The entire night, he was thinking over Ordona's fateful words, and how in Hyrule he was going to get her healthy again. He was wondering how she'd gotten sick in the first place, and he was determined to find out. In addition, he was plagued with the worry that the other spirits were going to fall to the same fate. All he did know was that she was sick, and if she stayed that way, Ordon was going to be destroyed.

"HEY! LINK!" Just as the sun began rising, the familiar voice boomed through the window near Link's bed. He sat up in bed, his blond hair ruffled and his torso bare. All he wore were long black pants while he slept. Blinking and smacking his lips together, he stuck his head out from the window to see Fado looking up at him expectantly.

"Hey, buddy, I know ya jus' got back," He scratched the back of his neck. "But wouldja mind roundin' up the goats real quick? They ain't listening to me lately, ya know?" Link nodded with a good-natured smile and then stepped back into his house. At first, he reached for his green tunic, but then changed his mind and turned to his old-fashioned herdsman clothes. Leaving his hat was a hard thing to do. He hadn't worn these clothes since he had first transformed into a wolf way back when, and he felt a bit more like himself when he put on the coarse outfit. He felt like 'Link the Ranch Hand, not 'Link the Hero of Time and Savior of Hyrule.'

"Thanks, Link, I appreciate it. Truly, I do. I'll be up at the ranch waitin' for ya. Git Epona an head on up as soon as you're ready, buddy!" Fado patted Link on the back when he climbed down the ladder, and then shuffled back towards the village. Link sighed heavily, playing with his blue hoop earring. It was true: he'd just returned yesterday. But he knew he needed to leave soon anyway to find the other spirits. He still had his duty to Hyrule, and though he wished it were different, that duty was more important than his duty to Ordon.

Link entered the village, holding Epona's reins in his hands.

"Hey, Link! You're looking like yourself again." Mayor Bo greeted with a wink after Link had crossed the bridge to his house. He laughed and nodded, a kind smile on his face as he walked past the mayor's house. Link tried to forget the fact that he was also Ilia's father. "Ilia's still asleep, if you're looking for her. She'll be out shortly, though. You heading on up to the ranch for Fado?"

"Yes, sir. I'm going to round up the goats." Link explained, tilting his head towards the ranch.

"Well you have fun with that, then." Bo put his hands on his stomach and let out a hearty burst of laughter.

Link felt as if he were walking on air when he rounded up the small blue goats, knowing that they would only listen to him rather than their actual owner, Fado. The ranch owner simply sat on the grass, watching Link as he ushered the twenty goats into the stables. Though it had been a while, he still had a thing for it and did it in less than two minutes.

"Shucks, pal! You haven't lost it." Fado whistled when Epona trotted up to him, victorious.

As he dismounted Epona, Link and Fado conversed a bit about the state of Ordon since he'd left, and how everything had changed. But ever since the children had been returned, things had been going perfectly.

"Oh, I was meanin' to give ya this." Fado paused, reaching into the sack on his belt line. He pulled out a small, pure white envelope. "The Mayor received it this mornin' and asked me to give it to ya. It's a letter. There y'are."

Link looked curiously at the envelope in his hands. The front read, in beautiful handwriting:

To Link in Ordon

From Hyrule Castle

Link smiled to himself excitedly, eager to read the letter.

Hmm... i wonder who the letter's from... hehehe. I hope you enjoyed it! Keep a look out for chapter four, which will hopefully be up tomorrow. Keep on reviewing please! I love you guys!