Sorry, I know that it's been a while since I last uploaded. *sigh*. This is my excuse: We had to drive all the way to Cheney for the Science Olympiad State Tournament.

Anyways, I hope you like this chapter (It's kinda short, I know), and yeah. That's pretty much it.

Link nodded. He walked down the path with Ilia. She was quiet. She was only quiet when something was bothering her. Of course something was bothering her. She just found out that her mother was dead. She was only eight. Four years…Link thought. It's been four years. When they got to the spring, Ilia sat down on the sand. She pulled her legs up to her chest and hugged them. Link sat down next to her.

"Ilia..."

She buried her face into her knees. He took her arm gently.

"Ilia, don't cry. Please don't cry."

She was whimpering softly. "Why not? Mom's dead."

"Be happy."

She turned around and slapped him hard. "How? How can I be happy? I just told you, she's dead and she's not coming back!" she shouted in his face. He flinched.

"How can I be happy?" she said quietly. Link paused.

"Your mom is with her mom and dad. You know, your grandma and grandpa. She's with your Uncle Nero, and she can see her family that died. She wants you to be happy. Remember? She used to tell you all the time."

"Living a life that's sad isn't worth living. So don't be sad! Be happy and grateful, and things will work out. Right?"

"Yeah."

Ilia leaned her head against Link's shoulder. "Mommy told me to take care of you because your uncle wasn't gonna be there for you. But you're taking care of me. I'm s'pposed to do that."

"OK."

Ilia smiled. She laid down next to him and fell asleep.

Ilia woke in her bed. She smiled, remembering what her friend had told her. "Ilia..."

She looked towards the doorway. Her father. "Ilia, are you feeling all right?"

She nodded.

"How come?"

"Link told me something yesterday. Remember what mommy used to say?'Living a life that's sad isn't worth living. So don't be sad! Be happy and grateful, and things will work out.' Daddy, be happy and grateful because Mommy said so."

Bo smiled. The boy had wisdom beyond his years. "Alright. I'll be happy." He stood up to leave the room. "And Daddy?"

"Yes, Ilia?"

"Link also said that mommy is happy because she's with her mommy and daddy and Uncle Nero and everyone else."

Bo smiled. "OK, Ilia."

Link stood, his wooden sword in his hand, panting.

"You already given up, Link?"

"I'm not done yet."

"Then show me how much you've grown. Come on!" Rusl said.

Link ran up and started to attack, but as soon as Rusl put his guard up, Link jumped behind him and hit his back. Rusl looked at him is suprise. "Well, m'boy. You've gotten stronger, certainly. And faster. C'mon, let's go inside. We're both tired." Link nodded and followed him in.

"Say, Link. What'd you do to Ilia to cheer her up like that? The Magic of a Nine-Year-Old?"

Link laughed. "You know I don't do that."

"Then what did you do?"

Link paused. "I told her that her mom was with the rest of her family and wanted Ilia to be happy. I guess it worked."

Colin ran outside. "Horthey, horthey! I ride horthey!" That was his newest phrase. Rusl smiled. "Link, would you take Colin to the ranch for me? You heard what he said, after all. He'll kill you if you don't." Link smiled. "Ok, Colin. C'mon."

"Oh, and Link?"

"Yeah?"

"You and Ilia have been doing such a good job caring for that horse, You two might as well keep her."

Link looked at Rusl wide-eyed. "Really?"

"Yup."

Ilia was in the barn when he and Colin got there. She turned around. "Oh, hi Link."

"Hi."

She turned and looked at Colin, who was so excited he was shaking. She smiled. "Hi, Colin. Do you wanna ride Epona?"

"Yeth!"

Link and Ilia laughed. "C'mon, then. Let's get her ready."

Link came up to her and whispered into her ear "By the way, Rusl said we could keep her."

"Epona!?"

"Yeah."

Ilia squealed and hugged Link as hard as she could. She let go of him when Colin tugged on the hem of her dress. "Horsey, Horsey."

She laughed, then took his hand and led him to Epona. Link just stood there, surprised at her reaction. Or maybe because she had hugged him? Or maybe both. He couldn't say.