Chapter 2: Welcome Home My Knight


Link and Epona had only taken two days to get back to Ordon with one night camping. With the lack of disruptions from the bulblins who had, mostly, retired to the desert and bothered those who the king found challenging. What was even stranger was that the King Bulblin had actually given a few of their large boars as an offering to Link to acknowledge his strength along with the few words he spoke to him. These boars came in handy in repairing the castle as well as trading a few off for riches and materials from different places. The castle may not have been completely finished up till now but it was still functioning as it was before.

The clacking steps of Epona on the ground were heard as they neared town the next morning. Link turned to the fountain having a feeling that people may have already heard her steps but to just make sure that nobody will interrupt him, he took her to the springs where he closed the rebuilt gate behind them. He sighed patting her mane and once again touched the corner of his lip. He wasn't sure if he was dreaming or not. He knew she was a little older than him and he had grown at least a bit enough to now be at the same height as her, so was it just his imagination that her lips brushed that area of his face?

He touched his belt that had some of his items in it. He didn't bring all his weapons that he had gathered before but it was still kept in the magical pouches that he received with his hero tunic. He looked at his tunic as he removed the belt. It was still in great condition. It always surprised him that no matter how beaten and tattered he'd get it'd still be in great shape. He sighed and began to remove it as something sparkled around his neck. It was a small memento of the Twilight Princess. It was a small broken chip of rock from her helmet when the Twilight Princess was trapped in the form of an imp. It had a groove in it which he knows it was one of the channels for its magic. He didn't know where the rest of the helmet went surprisingly enough but he knew he had found this piece of it in the field on the way back from after she had shattered the mirror. Tears welled in the corner of his eyes thinking of her. After all that they went through she just had the nerve to shatter the mirror.

Later? Yeah right, he thought to himself.

He gave a heavy sigh removing more of his armor and clothing as Epona just seemed to look away.

"Glad at least you understand me girl… I just don't really understand real women," Link said putting on his Ordon clothing.

He sighed as he heard a giggle. He turned around surprised just sliding on his top. He was only wearing the shirt and the baggy pants as there she stood as lovely as ever.

"Welcome home, Hero," Ilia said walking.

She as well has changed. In two years her hair was longer and held with a clip as she wore a long sleeve top but it didn't cover her torso and pants that were still above her ankles. The straps that held her top up showed as the traditional Ordon designs were sewn on the shirt. She skipped a light step forward and then walked around to pet Epona on the head.

Was she just watching me change behind the bushes?! Link began to think turning his head to the other side trying to look around searching his thoughts and as to where she came from. He knew the hole had been boarded up or had the kids broken it again. He just shook it off and just smiled nervous continuing to put on the rest of his ranch outfit by crossing on the different clothes around his waist.

"I've missed you both," Ilia whispered leaning her head against Epona's who began to nuzzle against her. Ilia took out a carrot from a bag around her waist and fed it to Epona.

Link smiled shyly and rubbed the back of his head.

"Yeah, three months is almost a whole season isn't it?" Link said looking at her as the water shimmered around her.

She giggled as she seemed to radiate while standing there as the sun reflected on the water. He coughed as they stood there speechless. He was correct in the first place; he really didn't know how to talk to women. If he could just find in himself the feeling to look at her as a friend like back then he would but even then he still felt a bit tongue tied. She had become quite lovely since the last time he saw her. He breathed and began to unhook the cart from Epona and removed the saddle placing it in the cart. Was it just him or was he breathing harder? He couldn't tell as he began to pick up the box with the shattered rupee necklace. Was it too cheap? Was it too expensive? He didn't know. As he was about to turn to her she was beginning to unlock the gate.

"Everybody is waiting for you hero," Ilia teased.

Link smiled and hesitated putting the box back down. He nodded and patted Epona and leaned his head against Epona not facing Ilia. He felt confused inside. He touched the necklace tugging a bit at it like as if he could just tug at his heart in the same matter. The Princess Zelda with what she had said to him and the few months at a time he spent with her. And then when he closed his eyes he could still see the bit of glimpse of her face. The girl with the red eyes. He gasped and opened his eyes feeling a warm touch across his body. She wrapped her arms around him embracing him from behind. He blushed as he didn't know what to do. He closed his eyes and touched her hands with his own. Her hands were soft compared to his rough hands. Both smiled for the moment had comforted both.

"We better get going, heh," Ilia said blushing jumping back from him a bit and walking to Epona taking her reigns.

"Ah, yeah," Link said pulling the cart.

Both walked side by side as Ilia looked at him. His muscles were so defined now and it was a sight to look upon his good looks. His hair was longer as well and he looked a bit rougher but it made it more than just handsome as he was before, she and many others could describe him like as if he were a gift from the goddesses. She blushed feeling lucky enough to be one out of the few who get to be so close and personal with him.

"Isn't that cart heavy?" She asked finally noticing how much the cart held.

He just kept on pulling it with out hesitation.

"No," He answered bluntly.

The silence came over again but she would glance at him every chance she took until they got to his tree house. Ilia placed Epona where she belonged and patted her some more.

"Tomorrow I'll clean you good along with the other horses," Ilia said smiling happy to see her favorite horse back.

"Huh," Link said looking at the sun and feeling his stomach, "It's about lunch time."

"Yeah, maybe we should've told the townsfolk you're back so they could've made a large amount knowing probably you're just as hungry as a field full of starving goats," Ilia teased.

Link and her laughed for a moment. He had to admit, camping out didn't have the best of tasting food. He just hoped that the food he'd be eating would be as hearty as the food the knights had as well as the newer foods he got to try while traveling with the Princess Zelda. Though he did remember her scolding him one day after he ate something that wasn't so tasty and couldn't hide his expression at the table with the people who the princess was meeting with. He shuddered at that memory at the taste of a soup made of bitter melon from some people over seas.

"Link, you ok?" Ilia asked.

As he was about to answer he heard the excited shouts of the townsfolk. The town had expanded and there were new people and workers who were waving at him. He began to feel nervous trying to recollect who was who. But the kids came up which made him feel at ease. Colin and Talo who both held wooden swords came up smiling.

"Welcome home!" Both chanted.

"Where's Beth and," Link started.

"Malo is managing the shop here as Beth…" Talo began but started to trail off.

"Beth's expensive taste has to be controlled so her mom and Dad are making her work at their shop," Colin said shrugging.

"She's still insisting on trying to meet up with Prince Ralis," Talo said a bit smug as Colin gave a bit of an expression of disapproval.

"It's not that he's different than us, it's just that Beth should try to keep her head straight and understand that to live the way she wants is going to take work," Colin said as a blush came to his face knowing what Talo was insisting on.

Link tilted his head and just sighed with a soft smile.

"Just tell everybody I'm back and I have stuff for them and will give it out this evening," Link said patting Colin's shoulder.

Talo and Colin smiled and looked at each other.

"Race to see how many?" Talo said to Colin.

"Go!" Colin shouted running to one of the houses as Talo ran a bit in a circle first and dashed off to another house.

Link and Ilia laughed.

"Everybody's going to be happy that you're home," Ilia said smiling, "You're our knight in shining armor. Even if you're a great knight to all of Hyrule, your roots are here in Ordon."

Link smiled and put one arm around her for a hug and began to walk off to find Rusl and his family.

"Welcome home… my knight," Ilia whispered watching him walk off with his cart.


Anyways… That's about it for now. Don't expect updates to be so often… I'm just really inspired lately XD