Link jumped down from the cart and walked behind Mrs. Ari. Ilia gasped and ran around to her mother's opposite side. "Ilia, I'm sure he just wants to talk to you. Right?" Link nodded. Ilia slowly came out from her hiding place.

"H-Hi."

"Hi!"

She started to whimper quietly. Link looked at her curiously. "Do I scare you?" Ilia nodded and looked back at him. After a while, she pointed to his ears. "Your ears are funny."

"Your ears are funny."

Ilia giggled. "No, yours are!" Link smiled and held out his hand. "My name is Link."

"My name is Ilia."

Link smiled and nodded. She pointed to his ears. "Why do you have earrings? Only girls do that."

"My daddy said that the oldest boys in our family has earrings, which is why my daddy and I have them." As he thought of his father, he instantly became sad.

"I have a daddy, too!"

"Really?"

"Mm-hm. He's fat."

Ari looked at her daughter. "Ilia..."

"What?Daddy is fat."

"Did I hear my daughter say I'm fat?" a deep voice said from behind Link. He jumped. Ilia giggled. "You are fat, daddy!" Link turned around. Ilia's father was fat. But at the same time, he brought a happy atmosphere with him that lightened Link's mood.

"Well, hello! Who's this?"

Ilia giggled again (she did that a lot, apparently). "Daddy, this is Link, my new friend!" Link looked at her in surprise. Her...friend? He'd never had a friend before. He was the only kid younger than 15 in Esmon. Ilia turned to him. "Where does your daddy live?"

Malden came up to them. "Link's daddy lives in Esmon, a village in the northern mountains."

Ilia nodded. She turned to Link. "Do you wanna play now?"

"OK."

Ari and Bo invited Link and Malden over for dinner. After they had eaten, Link and Ilia sat on the porch and played. After a while, Link started to stare at a man standing on the dock swinging a sword.. Ilia came up to him. "That's Mr. Rusl. He has a sword." Link nodded. "Can he teach me how?"

She nodded. "Mr. Rusl!" she shouted. "Link wants to learn how to use a sword!" Link opened his mouth to protest, but then realized that Ilia had done him a huge favor. The man walked over to them. "So, Ilia, already found a boyfriend, huh? I thought you were four."

"He's not my boyfriend!" Ilia shouted, annoyed. Rusl smiled. "Then who is he?"

"He's my friend."

"Oh?" Rusl's gaze drifted over to Link. "So, I take it that you're this Link Ilia told Uli about?"

"Who's Uli?" Link asked. Rusl laughed. "Uli is Rusl's wife. They got married last summer." Ilia answered. "That's right, Ilia." He turned back to Link. "Uli, my wife, is pregnant. She's gonna have a baby soon."

"What's pregnant?" Rusl looked at Link in suprise. "That's when a girl has a baby inside of her. That's how your mummy had you."

"I don't know my mommy."

"How come?"

"She died when I was a baby."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

Link looked at him oddly."Why are you apogizing?"

"Apologizing?"

"Yeah. That."

"Because."

Link was smart enough not to answer. He turned to Ilia. "Are you pregnant?" she slapped him and Rusl laughed. "No, I'm not!" Ilia shouted in Link's face. He turned to Rusl.

"Can you teach me how to use a sword?"

"If it's alright with your dad."

"My dad is in Esmon."

"Then how did you get here?"

"Uncle Malden brought me."

"Then he has to say yes first. Then I can."

"Mr. Rusl's teaching me how to shoot a bow!" Ilia chimed. He laughed again. "Not yet, Missy. You're not strong enough."

Ilia ran inside. Link could hear her talking to his uncle.

"Mr. Malden, can Rusl teach Link how to use a sword?" Malden laughed. "Alright, so long as Link is careful."

After Rusl had given Link his first lesson, he took Link and Ilia up to the Ranch (Link and Ilia were very close, now). Link wandered into the barn and saw a bay mare standing next to a palomino foal. The foal looked weak. Rusl came in. "That's Luna, with her foal Epona. Epona's been sick recently. Tell you what," Rusl said. "If you and Ilia take care of Epona for me, then I will give you two lessons. Sound good?"

Link nodded.

"Don't worry, Ilia knows what to do. If you need help, then just ask me. OK?"

Link smiled and nodded again. He put his hand out and petted the little horse.

Epona whinnied weakly and nuzzled his hand. I like this horse, Link thought.