Now to end your torment and find out what happens to Zelda.

"She wasn't at the store, Mother. Father said she let there at 2:30."

"Thank you, Sari" Blossom spoke from her place near the oven. Ruto came into the room just then.

"Ruto, have you seen Zelda?"

"No, not all afternoon."

Blossom bit her lit for just an instant.

"Ruto," she said, "run over to the Taggarts' and ask there, will you? Come right back and tell me whether she's been there or not."

"All right, Mother."

She left and Blossom gave way to her concern, her face mirroring the anxiety within until she realized both Romani and Sari were watching her.

"Are you worried, Mother?"

"A little," she admitted, trying to smile. "It's nearly dark, and Zelda always does her chores."

The younger girls nodded and exchanged a glance. Ruto had exited a few minutes before, but ever heart was with her as she walked down the road to the Taggarts property.

(&)

"What's up?"

Link ad just come in from outside to find Aryll and his mother standing close by the front door. Uli turned to him.

"Ruto was just here looking for Zelda." She sounded preoccupied with her thoughts and didn't really notice the way Link tensed.

"She was finished at the store at 2:30," Aryll added, "but no one's seen her since."

Even as she spoke, Link was reaching for the hat he'd just set down. "Go to the Fontanels, Aryll. Tell them I saw her in Henderson's field this afternoon. If I'm not back here within a half hour, send help."

"Link," Uli called before he could leave.

"Yes," he answered, stopping with his hand on the knob.

She looked frightened but managed, "Are you thinking she's been hurt? I mean, Henderson's bull is-"

"I don't know, Mom," he cut her off gently. "I'll be back just as soon as I find out."

Uli had little choice but to let him go, but the direction of her thoughts caused her to tremble. Aryll went out the front door at the same time to take word to the Fountains. Uli, a dishtowel still in her hand, sank down at the kitchen table to pray.

(&)

Zelda had been trying to pray for hours, but her mind was going numb. The light was already so dim that the mountains that rimmed the valley were beginning to lose shape. Evening was falling and her panic caused her to lose all reason. It even took a moment for her to hear the hoof beats over the pounding of the blood in her ears. She twisted around frantically to see who was coming and nearly went to pieces when the rider came close but began to move away.

"Father?" she cried in a pitiful squeak. "Is that you, Father?"

"Zelda?"

It was Link's voice.

"Link. Oh, Link." Her voice was only a little louder.

"Where are you?"

"In the tree," she said before the tears came and took her voice away. She cried with relief but also pain. Her legs wee in agony. Her legs! The words shouted in her head. This was not her father coming, but Link, and her white-stocking legs were exposed like a picture she'd seen one time of a dance-hall girl.

In the midst of all these thoughts, she heard the horse draw near. Link must have come insides the fence. A moment later she looked down and saw him below her.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"No, I'm not," she told him, sniffing. "It's getting dark, and I can't get free."

"Here." Link had moved until he was directly below her feet. "If I push your feet up, maybe you can grab the branch about you. Can you try?"

"Yes."

Link caught the sole of a shoe in each palm and pushed. The position was nearly impossible for leverage, but it gave Zelda just enough room to work. One foot lifted away from him to step on a strong branch and then the other followed. Link backed Miner off so he wasn't directly below her and then looked up to see her progress. She was standing easily now, but she was so far off the ground that he knew she shouldn't jump.

Link moved in yet again. "Here, Zelda, come down to this branch and then step down to me."

"Where's the bull?" Her voice wobbled.

"I can't' see him right now." Link ducked his dead to kook around the field. "He must have wondered off. Go ahead and jump to me."

Zelda finally heard what he dad said to her.

"You mean onto the horse?"

"Yes. I'll catch you."

"Oh, Link..."Zelda's voice was trembling again.

"It's all right," he coaxed, and after several minutes worth of soothing words she jumped. Link caught her just as he'd promised and settled her across the front of the saddle. She was trembling violently, and for a moment he kept his arms around her.

"Are you okay?"

"I just wanted to see the birds," she stuttered. "And then the bull came and my dress caught and they couldn't eat!" She was gripping his hand hard now. "They couldn't even eat while I was there, and they sounded so hungry."

It was too much for Zelda. She buried her face in her grubby hands and sobbed. Link knew it was time to get home. He heeled Miner forward to the gate and left the pasture. Zelda's shoulder was against his chest, and she was still crying into her hands. He didn't know what to say. Horrible images had flashed through his mind as he'd ridden to find her. He had been tortured with thoughts that she might have met some young man who tried to hurt her, and here she had only innocently come to see a bird's nest and ended up being chased by a bull.

"It's all right, Zelda," Link said when she began to calm. He looked up to see a rider coming toward them. "I think your fatter is coming."

Zelda's head snapped up. It was indeed Bipin.

"Please let me down, Link."

Link stopped immediately and helped Zelda to the ground. Her legs nearly buckled, and he leaned to keep hold of her hands, but a moment later he watched as she flew toward her fatter. The older man came off his horse, and Link could hear her cries from dozens of yards away as Bipin held and comforted his daughter.

"It was getting dark," he heard her gasp as he drew near.

"I know, but I've got you now, Zel." Bipin looked up at Link. "She seems unhurt-just upset."

"Yes. The bull chased her, and then she couldn't get out of the tree."

Bipin nodded, but darkness was falling fast now, and Link could see him only dimly.

"I'll get home now," Link said, "before anyone worries any longer."

"Thank you, Link," Bipin said simply. Because Zelda's legs still hurt, Bipin lifted her onto the horse. He let the animal home rather than sit with her, talking in calm tones as they moved. As soon as the arrived, Blossom put Zelda o bed. She hovered over her for a long time and left a light burring in her room until she had fallen asleep. Blossom still didn't know exactly what had happened, but at the moment it didn't matter. Some of the lace on Zelda's dress was torn, but she was home safe, and they could all start to breathe again.

(&)

"Hello." The word came quietly from Link as he came soft-footedly into the Fountains' living room.

It was the afternoon of the next day. Zelda had heard her mother open the front door but hadn't heard the voices. She should have been working at the store this day, but her father had insisted she stay home.

"Hello, Link," Zelda returned, putting her book aside.

"I came to see how you were doing." He sat in the chair across from her and thought she looked a little pale.

"I'm all right, but I managed to scare the life out of my father. He wants me to take it easy for a few days."

"That's not a bad idea," Link agreed, but Zelda only shrugged.

"What are you doing today?"

"Not much. My dad is due in any time, and when he comes back we'll be headed back out."

"You don't usually wait for him, do you?"

"No, but unless he needs me, I won't be going at all. I leave here in three weeks, and I want to spend as much time as possible at home."
"Three weeks?" Zelda questioned him quietly. "I thought you would be here until the end of August."

"No. I've decided to go earlier."

It was a good ting that Zelda's face was already pale, or Link might have questioned her more than he did. His simple words were enough to make her want to howl with dismay. He was going away. Hot in six weeks, but in three. What in the world would she do?

"Are you sure you're all right?" Link asked.

"Yeah," Zelda lied, forcing a smile. "Thanks for coming to the rescue last night." She was pleased with her quick recovery. "I wasn't certain if I'd thanked you. It was so silly to be caught in that tree, and well, thanks, Link."

"You're welcome," he told her warmly, relived that her strained features were from thoughts about the night before. For a moment his mind dwelt on the whole incident.

"Why does the darkness frighten you?"

Link watched her frown and looked a bit irritated. He wished he had kept the question to himself. "Were you hurt?" he asked o fill the breech.

"Only some scratches on my legs." Zelda's face was expressionless, the irritation gone.

"I'm glad it was noting worse."

The conversation was trailing off, and Zelda simply didn't have the stamina to keep things going. Usually all she had to do was ask Link about school and he would start talking fifteen to the dozen, but if she even though about his schooling right now or how she'd felt the night before, she was going to burst into tears.

It wasn't a surprise that Link rose to leave just a few minutes later.

"I think I'd best get on my way, Zelda. You still seem a little tired."

She managed to smile. "Yesterday was a long day."

"Well, take it easy. I'll see you later."

"Bye, Link."

Zelda sat for a long time after he left. In fact, she was so quiet that Blossom forgot she was even home. She wandered past the living room a little later and started in surprise.

"Zelda," she said with a hand on her heart. "You're so quiet that I forgot all about you." It was then she saw tears in her daughter's eyes.

"What is it, honey?"

"He's leaving, Mother. In three weeks he's leaving. I thought it was six, but it's only three."

Blossom came close now and sat on the arm of Zelda's chair. She couldn't find any words, but it didn't seem o matter. Zelda buried her face in her mother's lap and sobbed.

(&)

The next day began like any other for the Taggart family, except that Uli was a little quieter than usual. Bother of the children noticed but didn't' comment. They missed their father as well, and talking about it wouldn't bring anything more than tears. They both went about their daily chores with quiet efficiency.

Uli was thankful for their lack of intrusion, because in truth she did not want to share what was on her heart. She had woken early, around 4:00 A.M., with an awful sense of pain. She wasn't actually hurting, but her breathing felt constricted and her body ached all over. She rose very quietly and checked on Link and Aryll. When she found them both sleeping soundly, she retuned to her bedroom to pray. She was well, and her children were unharmed, so it had to be something else.

Uli had experienced this feeling once before-it was over five years ago now. Rusl had been late, and when he'd finally arrived home, she learned he'd been bitten by a rattlesnake. His leg was still swollen, and he was laid low for more than a week. Now the felling was on her again. Uli knelt by the bed she shared with her husband and let the head fall on his pillow.

I can feel something is amiss, Lord, she prayed in her heart. I am not given to fits of fancy, but I know Rusl is hurt. He may even be with You right now. I trust You, Father. Give me the grace to make it through whatever You have for us. I would want him back, You know this, but You also know what's best. Help the children in this, Lord. Help them to keep trusting You no matter what.

A tear slid down her face, a tear of pain for the man she loved. She hated the thought of his being alone and hurting, so she prayed that if he was inured, someone would find him soon.

I would like to see him one more time, Lord. I admit this freely to You, but again I ask You to help me rust and believe. Touch Rusl now, Father. Help him to keep his eyes firmly fixed on You, no matter what the pain or circumstances.

When it was time for breakfast, Uli rose stiffly from the floor to dress for the day, but she prayed often as the day progressed. In fact, she prayed constantly. It was just after lunch before she had any real idea as to why she felt so burdened.

Lenzo O'Brien pulled into the yard with his long bed wagon. Rusl's horse was tied to the back, and Rusl lay in the wagon bed. There was no color in Uli's face as she took in the sight of her husband's body, but seeing him didn't paralyze her. Lenzo was talking, and she was listening to ever word and already moving to do what had to be done.

(&)

"They brought him in the back of a wagon?"

"Is he dead?"

"I think he might be. Link was uptown, and Kafei came running into the back to find him."

The sound of Link's name brought Zelda's head around, Fontaine's General Store was filled with almost as much gossip as the barber shop, and Zelda had already learned to block out most of it. However, Link's name was another matter.

"What happened?" Zelda broke a firm rule and intruded into the conversation.

"Rusl Taggart's been hurt, or maybe killed. They've sent for the doc."

"How?"

"I don't know, dear, but land surveyors live a dangerous life. He could have fallen or been attacked by a wild animal."

The older woman who as speaking finished her sentence, but Zelda didn't hear. She was already moving to find her father.

"Father, I have to go the Taggarts'. Mr. Taggart has been hurt, and I have to see if they need me."

"Your mother was just here and told me, Zel. She'll go and see what needs to be done."

Bipin started to turn away, but Zelda grabbed his arm with bruising strength.

"Father," she spoke, her heart in her eyes. "I have to go."

Bipin looked down into her face as saw that it was true. She looked ready to come undone if he turned her down. And anyway, if she was that determined to go, she would be of no use in the store.

All right, Zel."

The words were barely out of his mouth before Zelda ran for the door. Her father called something after her, but she never heard. Her mind was already at the Taggarts' wondering how she could be of the most help.

So from worrying about Zelda now it's Rusl's turn.

I have gotten to the point that I have written more chapters than I have posited, so soon I will be posting multiple chapters in one day.