Day 3 of Goldenleaf, Year 392

Oh, happy day!

Link is back!

He is back! What more can I say?

Not only is he back, he has brought his family with him! My, the boy has grown. He's nearly fifteen. Fifteen! He was ten when he left. Speaking of which, his birthday is tomorrow. The Mayor insists on having a party for him. Of course he would! Link is practically a son to him! He's just as excited as I am about this!

The children adore him, and already Beth has fallen in love with him. She's rather young, in my opinion. Colin is more open to him than I expected. Maybe he has memories of him.

Mayor Bo has quite an interest in Link. Maybe because Link is the same age as Ilia. Or maybe because he's grown and is strong enough to help out at the ranch. That's what Fado wants him to do, at least. Hopefully, with Link's help, we won't lose three goats every day (I'm exaggerating; it's really about one a week). Well, I don't know what else to write about, and besides, I promised Ilia some help with sewing.

Uli, Wife of Rusl

Historian appointed by Mayor Bo

"Hey."

Link turned around. It was the fourth day of Goldenleaf, his birthday. The villagers had thrown a party for his birthday and arrival. Now Ilia wanted to tell him something.

"Hey."

"You wanna see Epona? She misses you."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I do. Do you wanna see Epona or not?"

Link shrugged. "Sure." He followed her to the barn. Inside, it smelled of hay, goats, and horses. Epona stood in a stall in the back. The smell of hay was stronger here. Epona whinnied when she recognized the smell of the boy.

"Hey, girl. You miss me?" Link said as he rubbed her copper neck. Ilia handed him a carrot, and he fed it to Epona. She ate it hungrily, and he laughed. "Have you and Fado been feeding her at all?"

"Yes. She just really likes carrots."

Link laughed. "Okay. Do you wanna go on a ride, girl?" Epona nuzzled his neck.

"That means yes." Ilia said. Link turned to her. "Do you wanna come?"

"Sure."

They rode around the ranch several times. After their third time around, Maeri stopped them. "Link, how long are you going to ride that horse?"

"Until I'm tired."
"Obviously. I should know. Anyways, your sister is tired and it's getting dark. Be back at the house in five minutes. Okay?"
"Okay."

He dismounted Epona and helped Ilia get off. She blushed.

"Oh, and Link?"

"Yes?"

She spoke to him quickly, in the Northern tongue.

"You be nice to that girl, you hear me? Don't tease her."

"Sorry, Maeri. I can't do that. She teases me and I tease her back." he replied in the same language. Ilia was puzzled. "You're talking about me, aren't you?" she asked. Link and Maeri exchanged a glance. "Nope." they said at the same time. Ilia sighed. "If you're still the same as I remember you, Link, then I think you just lied."

Link shrugged and led Epona back to the barn. Maeri left with Rowan and a sleepy Ava. Ilia stood there, waiting for her friend to return. He came back a few minutes later.

"You need to leave soon." she told him.

"I know."

They stood there, waiting for the other to speak. Most of the villagers had left to put children to bed. After a while, Link broke the silence.

"It's nice to see you again, you know."

Ilia nodded. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. And with that, he turned and left.

The next day, Fado managed to convince Link to help on the ranch. After he finished, Ava ran up to him and jumped into his lap. Ilia followed.

"Maeri asked me to watch her."
Link nodded. Ava grabbed a fistful of hair and pulled it as hard as she could.

"Ow!"

She giggled and he tickled her belly, making her laugh harder. Ilia smiled and sat down next to them. Now Ava was biting her brother's ear. Ilia laughed quietly to herself, and Link turned to her. "What?"

"What What?"

"What what what what what?"

She slapped him playfully. "Stop."

"No really, what?"

She sighed. "Nothing."

"Liar."

"Why do you wanna know what I'm thinking, huh?"

"Do you wanna go on a walk?"

This caught her by surprise. "W-What?"

"What?"

"I-I guess."

"You guess or you know?"

She slapped him.

"Do you or do you not?"

"All right."

They left Ava with Uli and left. The woods were quiet, other than the occasional monkey. After walking for a bit, they found a willow tree next to a stream. Link sat on the edge of the water with Ilia, and after a while, she pushed him in.

"What was that for?!"

"For growing up."

He was quiet, then pulled her in with him. She splashed him, and he laughed and splashed her back. Ten minutes later, they crawled back onto the bank, shivering. She curled up next to him under the tree and dozed off. He shook her gently. When she didn't wake up, He carried her back to her father. When he saw them, he quickly brought them in, asking them what they were thinking getting wet at this time of year. Link merely shrugged and set her down. She woke a few minutes later and went upstairs to change. When she came back downstairs, she saw that Link had already left.

"Ilia."

She turned around. "Yes, father?"

"You need to be more careful around him."

"Why?"

"He's not a little boy anymore. He's growing up."

She sighed. "I know."

Just to avoid confusion, the language system in Hyrule (according to me) goes as follows: There are four different dialects (Northern, Southern, Western and Hyrulian). The Hyrulian dialect is used throughout all of Hyrule, whereas the other three dialects are used regionally. Ilia didn't understand the short conversation between Link and his stepmother because she was taught the Southern dialect, whereas Link and Maeri spoke in the Northern dialect.