Illia's room was small and dusty, but she didn't mind. She opened a window, letting in the last of the setting sun's light. She pulled out her clothes, all light brown and white. It wasn't that she didn't want to try something else out, it was just the colors she was most comfortable wearing. She quickly put them away in the small mahogany dresser by her bed.

Looking into the small mirror near her door, she saw her face. There were bags under her eyes from days of not sleeping, her skin was even paler than usual, and her eyes had lost their sparkle. Her hair was shorter than ever, mostly because she couldn't bother to do much with it.

"I'm home," Telma called from downstairs. "Are you upstairs, Illia?"

Illia opened the door, then yelled down, "Yes, I'm upstairs!"

"Would you mind coming downstairs for a minute?" Telma called. "I'd like to speak with you."

Illia quickly ran downstairs.

"It's great to see you again," Telma said. "I've missed you."

Illia smiled. "I missed you too."

"I just wanted to say that I'd already planned dinner with a few of my friends tonight. Would you be interested in coming? Don't worry, it's not a formal event."

Illia nodded. "Thank you, that'd be great!" She figured if she really wanted to move on then she might as well do this and other things like it. Link's disappearance wasn't going to define her life.

"It's going to be an hour before we have to leave, so feel free to get settled in. Sorry that the place is so messy."

"I don't mind." Illia said. "I'm not picky on places to stay."

An hour later, an hour that flew by for Illia, the two were standing in front of Hyrule Castle.

"That was, uh, a short walk," Illia commented. "So I'm guessing that you're friends with Princess Zelda?"

Telma smirked. "We're close friends, but don't worry, I'm sure you two will get along just fine. She's much more light-spirited than she lets herself show. She's been through a lot, especially after the war with the twili."

Those words seemed strange to Illia. She should know more about the twili, especially since they'd affected her so much, but she felt like a stranger to those words as much as any foreigner visiting Hyrule Castle Town.

The castle was splendid, filled with statues of the golden goddesses, fine purple curtains and rugs, and murals of past scenes. One was of a hero clad in green, one that looked so similar to Link, holding a light blue ocarina.

"Are you alright?" Telma asked. "You're crying."

Illia quickly wiped away her tear. "It's nothing."

They reached the royal dining hall, filled with lit candles, fina china dishes, and the fanciest food Illia had ever seen. Sitting at the chair was Princess Zelda, the beautiful leader of Hyrule. Illia couldn't help but stop and stare at her. She was dressed in a purple and white gown, her dark brow hair neatly braided, a small tiara on her head.

"Telma, you've arrived!" Zelda said. "Shad was placing bets with me that you wouldn't come, but he lost!"

Shad rolled his eyes, then handed the woman a small sack of rupees. "You win this one, Zelda."

Zelda laughed, then handed the sack back to him. "I'm the princess, so I certainly don't need this money. Give this money to the poor who need it, Shad." She turned to face Illia. "I believe we've met before."

Illia looked away nervously from her. "It was shortly after that twili woman, Madna, Morda?"

"Midna," Zelda said. She smiled. "Don't worry, it's okay to forget her name."

Illia breathed a sigh of relief. "It was very short, Princess."

"Please, call me Zelda." She pointed to two empty seats, both close to her. "Please also feel free to sit."

Illia nodded, then sat next to Zelda. "Thank you, Zelda."

Servants brought in plates of steaming food: Meats, vegetables, soups, desserts, food that Illia had never even heard of. She drank fine wine and talked with the people, all finding something happy to say.

"You've really helped make Hyrule prosper," Telma commented. "If it weren't for you then I wouldn't have been able to remodel."

"It's nothing," Zelda said. "I just realized that there was so much money we could earn from trading, so why not trade?"

"You really are wise," Shad commented.

Zelda rolled her eyes. "Keep dreaming, Shad."

His face turned as red as the wine.

Ashei laughed. "She really got you, Shad."

Illia took a bite of her dessert, a chocolate pie. The rich taste filled her mouth, and she quickly ate more.

"Enjoying it?" Zelda asked.

Illia nodded.

Zelda smiled, then asked a servant for more. The servant nodded, then left to enter the kitchen.

The Revolution members began discussing issues of Hyrule, and Illia tuned out, focusing more on the fine food in front of her. When more of the delicious chocolate pie came, she thanked the servant, then happily ate it.

"So, Illia," Zelda said.

Illia looked up, then quickly wiped the chocolate off of her lip with a napkin. "Yes, Zelda?"

"Telma's told me that you've moved to Hyrule Castle Town," Zelda said.

Illia nodded. "Yes, the words she speaks are true."

"I've been looking for someone to attend to my library," Zelda said. "The pay's good." It was well known that Zleda paid even the lowliest servants great amounts, believing that just because they did work seen as dirty didn't mean they deserved to fight to keep a living.

"That would be nice," Illia commented. "And I do enjoy books. . ."

"Actually," Telma said. "Do you have a position open in the royal stables?"

"Actually, I do." She turned to face Illia. "Do you like horses?"

Illia thought back to Epona, who was still by the gate to Hyrule Castle Town. "I've always loved horses."

"Then I believe there's a better job for you," Zelda said.

Illia smiled. "Thank you very much, princess."