The Waters of Nayru
Chapter 22: Planting Seeds
By, Frank Hunter

It wasn't long before Ilsa was coming to visit Rigo regularly, even without medicine. Rigo hated to admit it, but it looked like Nabooru had been right about her feelings toward the boy. He knew that nurses and doctors sometimes felt overly sympathetic for their patients, sometimes even fell for them head over heels, but he'd never seen it. He'd only ever heard silly stories of foolishness and unfit love. But, as the days went on, Ilsa and Rigo began to strike up real conversation, and it was clear the girl was interested.

"What's it like, living in the Castle Town?" he asked her one day.

Get her to talk about herself, and then listen, Nabooru had advised him. Quickest way into a woman's heart.

"It's nothing special," Ilsa told him. "Nothing really happens here. I guess that's why I started apprenticing at the…hospital." She chuckled to herself. "Just to get the chance to be near something exciting."

"I didn't know hospitals were so interesting," Rigo said.

Ilsa nodded with vigor. "Oh, yes! I've saved people's lives! I really get to help people. I'm much happier since becoming a medic. It makes me feel useful, I guess."

I think you're a lot more than just useful, Nabooru prompted.

"I think you're a lot more than just useful," Rigo articulated, and smiled charmingly at Ilsa, who blushed and turned away.

"Stop it, Rigo. You're just being sweet."

"Can't help it," Rigo confessed.

You're really cute when you blush.

"You're really cute when you blush." This, of course, only made her cheeks redder.

The conversations went on like this regularly until Ilsa was comfortable sitting at the foot of Rigo's bed. They were overall pleasant, though Rigo consistently felt a huge lump of guilt in his throat as he talked to her, which refused to budge as long as he knew he was playing with the poor girl's emotions. This discomfort, however, was nothing compared to what he felt during his sporadic discussions with Major Tydus. Those had begun to take on an edge, more so with every visit as Rigo resisted giving the man any actual information at every turn.

"That's a bloody lie!" the Major accused him during one of their talks.

"Why would I lie to you?" Rigo asked, innocently.

"If the Gerudo stronghold is as far away as you say, then why in Din's name would you come here alone?"

"I told you," Rigo said. "It was a pilgrimage back to the Desert Temple. A rite of passage. I ran out of water before turning back and wound up falling into the lake."

"Maybe I should dispatch a squad of men out to the Desert to confirm that, hm?" Tydus asked.

"Go ahead," said Rigo, and he wasn't exactly bluffing. As far as he knew, no one was out there anymore. "I'll show them out the temple when I leave, if you want.

The Major all but snarled at him over the response.

Rigo asked Ilsa about his behavior at the next opportune moment. "What's that guy's problem, anyway? Why's he so angry?"

Ilsa was sitting at the edge of the bed crocheting something that looked as though it were intended for a small child. "I think he's just afraid of you," she said.

"That's ridiculous," Rigo said. "I've never done anything to him."

"No, but…" she looked over her shoulder at the closed door. "Listen. I heard that the Major comes from a family that's always been really close to the Royals. Like, that his grandfather was in the Royal Guard the last time that, you know, he tried to take over."

She was referring to Ganondorf. Rigo just nodded, encouraging her on.

"The grandfather was with Princess Zelda when she made her last stand in the Castle's keep, when his lackey, Zant, came in with the dark monsters and…" She took her crochet needle and pantomimed it across her throat.

"Everyone there died except the Princess. Most people around here expect that's why the Major takes his job so seriously. He wants to do better than his family did last time, you know? He sees you and he thinks about Ganondorf, and he's scared I think."

Are you scared? Nabooru suggested.

"Are you scared of me?" Rigo asked.

Ilsa smiled down at her project, refusing to look up at Rigo. "Not exactly. I don't think you're such a bad guy."

"Thanks. I've been thinking, maybe, you're not so bad yourself," he said. He pointed at her project and changed the subject, as though he'd embarrassed himself. "What are you making over there?

"What, these?" she asked, holding them up and dangling them in the air. "They're mittens for my little sister. Winter will be coming soon."

"It gets cold?"

She nodded. "Very." She looked puzzled for a moment, and then asked. "You've never seen snow, have you?"

"No," said Rigo, who had begun staring off toward the wall. "No, but I'm sure it's…wonderful…" He trailed off, seemingly deep in thought, hoping that his distraction would catch Ilsa's attention. It did.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing," Rigo said quickly. "Nothing. It's stupid."

"I'm sure it's not," Ilsa said earnestly. "Tell me."

"It's just…" Rigo said, halting, putting his pauses in just the right places for effect. "The mittens reminded me. They took my stuff somewhere when I came in here. I haven't seen it since I woke up." He smiled. "Still sorry that I startled you."

"No, it's okay," Ilsa reassured him.

Rigo went on. "Well, most of it was just travelling clothes. Don't care much what happens to them. But…I had a pair of gloves with me. They were made of silver and were beautiful, an old family heirloom that my grandmother gave me before my trip." The memory of his grandmother actually saddened him some, and he was able to work a tear into his eye. He felt so low for putting on this act.

What are you doing? Nabooru asked.

Just trust me, he thought back.

"I just…have no idea where my things are," he said.

"They're in storage," Ilsa said helpfully. "The quartermasters will be keeping everything safe."

"Sure. I'm sure. It's just," he sighed, "I wish I could have my grandmother's gloves back. If nothing else, it would make me feel better to know they're safe."

"I'm sorry, Rigo," Ilsa said. "I can't…"

"Oh, no!" he cut her off. "No, I wasn't insisting. I was just saying. No, like I said before, it's nothing. Don't worry about it."

Rigo remained distracted for the rest of their discussion and Ilsa left the room visibly concerned about him. When she was gone, he collapsed onto his bed and pulled the flimsy pillow over his face, blotting out the world.

You have some talent for manipulation, Nabooru said. And I would know.

Don't say that, he thought. This is horrible.

The ends justify the means, kid, Nabooru said. If it gets you out of here, just be sure to send the girl a fruit basket or something. She'll be fine.

Rigo pulled the pillow down tighter on his face. With all the life-changing, world-shaking problems he was facing, he really didn't need this girl's broken heart on top of it. It seemed silly to worry about such a small thing, but in truth, what he was doing to her was no different than what the Major was doing to him. It was just lies and misdirection, fueled by condescension.

He thought on all the things he'd done, hoping to reach for a positive end to everything. Between the thievery and assault, the lies and deceit, he wondered if you could still be a good person at the end if you went through all of this to get there. He wasn't sure he was still a good person now.

Of course, none of that changed the fact that he needed to get out, get back to the desert, and stop Sooru as soon as possible. In any way possible. His arm would be healed up before long, at least enough to travel, and he would be gone. And Ilsa? She'd get over it. Yeah, he was sure she'd bounce back. Sweet girl like that? She would have no problem.