A new chapter is ready for you to enjoy.

It seemed that every resident of Kakariko Village turned out for the funeral of Error Fontaine. Pastor Sahasrahla held the service at the graveside, and it was to God's glory that he was able to point out the basis for the differences in Error's behavior in the last few years. His voice was kind as he spoke, but his words carried grate weight.

"I could stand here and tell you that Error was a good man, and it would be true. I might also tell you that because he was good, we know he is in heaven, but there must draw the line. Error Fontaine is not in heaven because of anything he did. Error is in heaven because of his belief in Jesus Christ and His saving work on the cross. You may not want to hear this-Error almost didn't-but he understood his need before it was too late."

Pastor Sahasrahla talked a little bit about Error's life in Kakariko Village. He'd come to the area with his wife in 1859. At that time Kakariko Village was a little more than a settlement of miners gathered alone Clear Creek to prospect. The pastor told of some the civic minded project Error had been involved with, and with his eyes on the crowd, dome of whom wee the wealthiest mine owners in town, he ended with yet another word about Error's decision, urging anyone in need to come to him.

"There will be some of you who think I want more money for the church, but nothing could be further from the truth. Our church building does have some minor needs, but nothing compares to the need for all of you to know Christ."

Long after the crown had pressed close to share their regrets and then moved on their way, the Fountains stood by the grave.

"I need to see Malon," she kept repeating. "She's going to be so upset, and she's so far away. I have to see Malon. She sobbed uncontrollably against Ruto side. Not even her father, lifting her in his arms, could abate the storm.

"She has Ralph." Blossom came close to her husband's shoulder in an attempt to console her youngest daughter. "He'll take care of her."

"I know, Mother," Romani replied, the tears still falling, "but she's so far away, and I know she'll be just crushed when she hears."

And indeed Romani was correct. Malon was very upset to here of her uncle's passing. Ralph delivered the telegram himself and held her while she sobbed. However, Malon's greatest tears were for her father.

"I don't know what he'll do now, Ralph," she cried. "He's lived with Mother for so long, and nothing has ever touched him. Now, Uncle Error, the man who could have helped, is gone."

"We can't stop trusting, Malon. God will find a way. He always does."

Malon continued to cry in her husband's arms, but she prayed as well. She prayed with all of her heart that her father would be touched. If she could only have seen though the walls of her parents' bedroom the next night, she'd have prayed for her mother as well.

(&)

Error had been buried for little more than 48 hours when Bipin responded to the things his brother had said. His response was not volcanic, but it was unsettling to Blossom. They were getting ready for bed, and Blossom could feel his tension from across the room.

"That's a fine way to end thing with my brother." The statement came from out of nowhere. Blossom turned, her blouse clutched in her hands.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," Bipin replied as he nearly tore his necktie off, "it's just fine to learn when Error is on his deathbed that he thinks I deserve to go to hell."

Blossom forced herself to hang the blouse in the closet. "That isn't what he said, Bipin."

"Oh, really." Bipin's sarcasm was biting. "Just exactly what did he mean? He seemed to think that you would have all the answers, so why don't you tell me just exactly what my brother meant."

"I don't think you're in any mood to hear it."

"Don't patronize me!" The words were like a lash, but Blossom remained outwardly calm as she turned to him.

"My grief is as grate as yours, Bipin. Please don't take this out on me."

Blossom turned away and unbuttoned her skirt. Bipin watched her. He wanted answers, but he was so angry that he could have put his fist through a wall. He was still just standing and staring, the tie dangling from his fingers, when Blossom began to brush out her hair. Only the normalcy of her routine keep her from bursting into tears. She was nearly done with her hair when Bipin forced himself to speak calmly.

"What did Error mean when he said my pride would send me to hell?"

Blossom turned away from the mirror.

"I believe he was speaking to the fact that you think all good, hardworking people go to heaven."

"What's wrong with that?"

"It's not true, Bipin; that's what's wrong with it."

"How can you say that?"

"I don't say it." Blossom kept her voice neutral. "The Bible says it."

"So you're telling me," Bipin returned, his voice was filling with rage all over again, "that all I've done, all I've worked for my whole life, isn't worth a thing?"

"Bipin, are you sure you want to talk about this?"

"Yes!"

Blossom started and wished she hadn't asked. However, her own irritation was raised just enough to speak boldly. She knew this was not the right time-his grief was too fresh-but If Bipin wanted it; she would give it to him.

"Nothing we do outside of Christ is worth a thing. Outside of Christ it's all useless." Blossom's hand went into the air when Bipin opened his mouth. "And don't you dare ask me, Bipin, why I think you are outside of Christ. You know every well that something is missing in your life."

Bipin's eyes were fierce at this point, but Blossom kept on. It was a temptation to rail at God for putting her in this position, but she thought she might have been too passive in the past. With a deep breath she continued.

"You go into church with your family well dressed and well behaved and line them up in a row and hope that god notices. You actually tell the girls that God is impressed if we're on time, yet you don't live like Christ matters. Your Bible looks like the day I gave it to you. The Bible says, in 2 Corinthians5, 'if any man be in Christ he is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold all things are become new.' If that hasn't happened to you, Bipin, then Error is indeed right. You're going to hell."

Bipin's gaze could have drilled holes into Blossom. He wanted to storm from the room, but his feet wouldn't move. How could she say this to him? He'd worked hard and been a fine provider. His eye didn't stray. What man won't tempted by the sight of a beautiful woman? But he had been faithful to Blossom since the day he met her.

"Bipin," Blossom's voice came softly to his ears. "It has to be God's way. All the girls came to Christ as little children because it's the easer way. We get older and our pride gets huge and then we try and tell God how we're going to come to Him. Only it won't work. He makes the call, and if we don't abide by it we're lost."

"So you think I'm a failure?"

Blossom felt defeat wash over her. It was as if he didn't have a clue. She went to him and held his face in her hands.

"Bipin, you're been a wonderful husband and father, and you will go on being so, but something is missing. I think you can feel it, but you don't want to acknowledge it. All I'm asking is that you keep your mind open. You're so certain you have all the answers that you don't even listen. Pastor Sahasrahla is not to be merely tolerated; he's there to teach us. The next time he speaks about heaven and how to get there, listen with your whole heart."

The room was shadowy, but he could see tears standing in Blossom's eyes. He put his arms around her and felt her tremble, or was that his own body? Could he really be wrong after all these years? And if he was, did good people really go to hell? Bipin's eyes shut in agony. He'd been so sure, and now his soul was in misery.

Better misery now, Bipin, than an eternity in hell. Where the thought came from Bipin couldn't say, but he was going to listen, this much was sure. He now lightened his arms around his wife, desperately needing to feel her close. He was scared. Like a child alone in a dark forest, he was terrified. It was a new sensation for him, and right now Blossom seemed to be all that was real. He held onto her with a new desperation, not talking, just needing to have her close.

(&)

"You heard baby birds?" one little girl asked another.

"Yes. I know it's late, but they must have just hatched."

"I can't believe you were even in Goht's field."

"Well, I was late getting home, so I had to cut across."

"Did your mother find out?"

"No."

The girls moved on, but their words echoed in Zelda's ears. Baby bids in Goht's field. She knew where that was. And in July! Zelda glanced at the big clock on the wall. It was 1:15. She was done in the store today at 2:30. She had some chores to do at home, but she was certain she could work a trip to see the birds' nest and still arrive home in plenty of time to do them. Goht's property was off the beaten path, but it would be worth the walk.

Zelda suddenly looked down at her dress and scowled. What in the world had possessed her to ware something so dressy to work? The lavender fabric even had a row of snow-white lace a foot up from the hem! She continued to scowl at her own foolhardiness, but her frown soon faded to a look of wistfulness. She knew very well why she'd dressed up. She hadn't seen Link since right after Uncle Error's funeral and hoped beyond all hope that he would make an appearance today. So far it hadn't happened.

"Zel," her father's voice suddenly snatched her out of her dreams.

"Yes?"

"That this in the back and put it on the shelf with the others." Bipin handed her a small satchel. "We have enough out front already. When you're through with that, sweep the front walk."

"All right."

"When are you done today?" His question stopped her before she could move six feet.

Zelda turned back, her heart beating with sudden fear.

"Two-thirty."

"All right," Bipin said as he turned away. Zelda's breath returned in a rush. She had thought he was going to say she needed to stay late. He step as light as she moved to the back room and then to the front walk the straw broom in her hand.

(&)

Two hours later, puffing from the warmth of her dress and the exertion, Zelda stopped below the tree in Goht's field. There was only one, and she had to climb a fence to get to it, but she had arrived. She stood very still to calm her breathing, and then she heard them: Baby birds chirping and crying out to be fed. She strained to see the nest. It was too high.

She knew they would be cute, and she had such soft spot for baby animals. However, if she tore her dress, he mother would not be pleased.

"But if I don't see the nest," Zelda now spoke to the tree, "I've come all this way for nothing."

"Talking to yourself, Zelda?"

Zelda spun in surprise toward the voice and smiled as she spotted Link. He sat atop his horse, Miner, on the other side of the fence.

"Now what makes you think I'm alone," Zelda asked with a flirting glance. She started toward him. "There might be a handsome young man courting me from the tree."

He spoke when she'd stopped at the fence and looked up at him, hr eyes sparkling with good humor.

"Now," Link drawled charmingly, "I wouldn't be calling you a liar, Miss Fontaine, but I think the only company you have out here is Goht's bull."

"Is that right?" Sounded quite skeptical. "I think you might be doing the lying, Mr. Taggart. I haven't seen a bull."

Link's humor fell away. "He does have a bull, Zelda. I don't know if he's out right now, but Goht does have a bull in this field."

"Oh." Zelda turned serious, and looked in all directions behind her. She till didn't see anything, but the little girls' conversation from the store now made more sense.

"How'd you get in there?" Link suddenly asked, shifting in his saddle to scan the fence line. He spotted the gate across the way.

"Now that would be telling," Zelda said, but she was looking away. She could feel her cheeks heating. Indeed, she had climbed over a low spot in the fence but didn't care to admit this.

"Do you want some help getting out?"

"No, thank you." Zelda tried to sound nonchalant, but when she finally looked at him, she found he was eyeing her strangely She watched as he pushed his hat back on his head.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah." Zelda's eyes wee huge, and she could feel her face going read all over again.

Link felt hesitant to leave her but told himself he'd have to take her at her word. She was acting very embarrassed about something, but he couldn't imagine what. He wondered at that moment if she might indeed be meeting a young man. It would certainly account for her behavior, but within Goht's fence? The guy must not be very romantic.

"You're sure you're okay?"

"I'm sure."

"I best be off then." Link adjusted his hat low over his forehead again. "I'll see you later, Zelda."

"Bye, Link," Zelda said with a smile and then stood very still as he moved away. She sighed softly as his horse took his broad back out of view. She turned back to the tree, but suddenly the thought of seeing the birds wasn't all that enticing. If Link had stayed to see them with her, she would have enjoyed it, but telling him the reason she'd come this far out had seemed so childish.

Zelda stood below the tree and listened to the sound of chirping again she reminded herself again that the tree would tear her dress if she tried to climb it, so with a rather slow, disappointed step, she started back the way she had come.

The tree was a little farther than the fenced when she heard the hoof beats, but she panicked at the sight of a bull charging her and turned to run like the wind back to the haven of its branches. She swung herself up into the limbs with an agility she didn't know she possessed and watched with horrified eyes as the bull ran a ways past the tree, snorting and stomping and looking for her.

Zelda was afraid to breathe. She moved only her head to see his every move, but the bull soon lost interest and wandered a short way off to graze. Zelda would have groaned if she hadn't been so afraid, how would she ever get home? Not even the sight of the birds, witch she finally remembered to look at, could cheer her.

She tried to gauge just how fast she could run compared to the distance to the fence, but knew it was foolhardy in long skirts. She shifted around a bit in an effort to see the bull again, but a mall branch gave a way beneath her foot and for a second she was hurtling toward the ground. She stopped with a loud scream as she was driven pencil-like into a mall square of branches. Her legs felt scrapped, and she could feel that her skirts wee twisted tightly around her knees, baring her stoking-clad legs from the calves down.

As soon as she landed she pressed her hand tightly over her mouth to keep from howling again. Her scream had alerted the bull, and he was back under the tree, looking in all directions. Zelda was sure if he looked up and spotted her he could stab her boot with his horn, so she didn't move a muscle-not even when a tear trickled down her face. She kept herself frozen until he once again moved on his way.

With that her mind began to move as well, and the thoughts were not happy. The image of being stranded her after dark, left alone in the blackness, was enough to make her tremble all over with fear. If she thought it would have helped she would have shouted with all of her voice for her father. Indeed, she was on the verge of doing this when a tiny poop from the nest diverted her.

Zelda looked at them and knew they wee getting hungry. The mother was naturally frightened away by her presences. They can't even get their diner until I'm out of here, she thought miserably. What in the world am I going to do? A tear came, and then another, but no answers.

The wind blew through the tree just then, a cool wind, and Zelda shivered from more than just the cold. When the temperature dropped in Kakariko Village, nighttime was on its way. Zelda tried to move her legs, but she was jammed tight, and it hurt to shift even a little. Not bothering to subdue the noise this time, her tears came in a torrent of weeping. She was going to be stuck in the tree all night.

To all who noticed the name of Link's horse is not a typo. He will be having a second one later in the story that I think would be better for the name Epona.