A/N: Not much to say here. Look forward to the next chapter coming soon. Thanks to my reviewers: Yacob, Surviving Sheikah, The Silent Orion, MiyaChama, Darkide, Player4, James Birdsong, and Victoria-Blackheart!
Rusl froze like a mouse spotting a hawk as he felt Colin's baffled gaze shift toward him. He didn't dare turn around for fear he might lose all resolve in his mission. His breathing came slightly faster. He had hoped to slip away quietly, but there was no way out of explaining the situation now.
"Papa, who is this?" Colin inquired with suspicion in his tone. He stole a periodic glance at the stranger, not hiding the apprehension filling his eyes.
"This is Auru. He's an old friend of mine." Rusl replied quickly, maintaining his composure and attempting to gain control of the situation. He pointed with his hand to Colin. "Auru, this is my eldest son, Colin."
"So you're Colin," Auru said, nodding to himself. He extended his chaliced hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, son."
Colin gazed hesitantly at the offered gesture. Eventually deciding he had nothing to fear, he shook hands with Auru and quickly withdrew his arm.
"Sure, don't introduce me," Malo said sarcastically to himself. "Not that I'm worth introducing anyways." Much to his disgust, no one paid his complaint any mind.
Colin looked at his father once again. There was a quiet sadness in his eyes, as if he already knew the answer to his own question. "Papa, what's at the castle, anyway? Are you delivering swords or something?"
Rusl looked hopefully at Auru. The old man merely shrugged his shoulders. "I have to get going. Just be sure to meet us at the base within the hour, Rusl." He gave an affirmative nod to Malo and Colin. "Goodbye, everyone." With that, Auru readjusted the pack over his shoulder and walked briskly down the street until he was out of sight.
"Well?" Malo said, shutting the door behind Auru and folding his arms. "We're dying to know." A malicious grin curled across his face. The boy had a niche for making people uncomfortable, a talent he was employing at the moment. Perhaps this twisted amusement stemmed from his resentment of the local townsfolk for their jeers of his childish appearance. Nonetheless, it served as a vital defense to keep other people from becoming emotionally close enough to him to hurt him.
Rusl placed an uneasy hand on Colin's shoulder. He closed his eyes for a second, allowing the desired words to flow from his mind to his tongue. He only prayed they would be the right ones. "Colin, you're an adult now, so I won't hide the truth from you." He took a deep breath. "Freedom is not something we are given; it is fought for, and Hyrule isn't as peaceful as it used to be. Right now, at Death Mountain, there are some threatening to take that freedom from us. Our allies, the Gorons, are in trouble. Auru, I, and a portion of the Hylian Royal Army are going to aid them. I've asked Ilia to look after you all in my absence."
"We're perfectly capable of looking after ourselves," Malo said with a sour face. "She's not even from the city. What does she know?"
"She knows a lot more than you think, Malo," Rusl defended. "If it makes you feel better, don't think of her as watching over you. Just think of her as being there if there's trouble."
"Those are just flowery words for the same thing," Malo said matter of fact. "She can boss the others if she wants, but I have a business to run." He shrugged his shoulders casually. His footsteps made barely any noise as he approached the stairs and stopped. He turned around quickly, an emotionless expression to mask the concern deep inside. "Rusl, don't get killed out there. None of us want to throw your funeral." He then proceeded casually up the stairs and closed the door behind him.
Rusl felt Colin's shoulder muscles tense beneath his fingertips at Malo's comment. The young man's blue eyes were looking down at the floor, unable to look into his father's face.
Rusl attempted to comfort him. "Colin, worrying won't get you anywhere."
"But?" came his quiet response.
"No buts. You're a man now. Now, more than ever, I need your courage. You need to look after things while I'm gone." He paused briefly, a small smile coming to his lips. His finger gently pulled Colin's chin up so that his son's solemn eyes met his. "And I am coming back. I already promised your mother and Zen I would."
Colin sighed deeply, as if the world weighed on his shoulders. "I don't want you to go, but I guess I can't stop you." He formed a determined fist. "I'll just have to be strong, like you and Link taught me."
"Thank you, Colin." Rusl replied gratefully. He wrapped his arms around his son in a warm embrace, conveying as much affection as the gesture would allow. The two said nothing for a time, treasuring the moment as if it were their last.
At last, Rusl drew his arms back to his sides and began walking up the stairs. "If you want, I need some help with preparations. There isn't much time."
"Sure," Colin replied quickly. He wouldn't miss out on the chance to spend these last precious minutes with his father before he left. Ever since he and the other children had been stranded in Kakariko seven years ago, he had learned to appreciate the time he spent with family.
"So he actually left," Talo said.
Several minutes had passed since everyone had seen Rusl off. Now they were all gathered in the upper common room, discussing what they were to do in his absence. Colin sat quietly in the corner with Ilia beside him, sharing his worry in empathy but saying nothing.
The room was silent as Ilia scowled at Talo. His cheeks blushed in red embarrassment as he realized he had broached a sensitive topic.
Everyone's attention was suddenly drawn by Beth gasping quietly while leaning against the window. She peered intently outside its glass frame to the outdoors beyond and mumbled to herself. However, no hint escaped her expression pertaining to what she saw. Curious, Talo jumped up from his chair and squeezed beside her, trying to glimpse what had caught her interest.
"Is that what I think it is?" Talo exclaimed at last. Now everyone's attention was drawn to the window. Everyone crowded around the small square aperture (including Malo), but whatever Talo and Beth had seen was gone.
"What was it, Talo?" Malo inquired. "I demand you to tell me. I must know or the curiosity will keep me awake all night."
Talo, with a triumphant smirk on his face, elbowed his younger brother. "Maybe I won't tell you now just because you said that. It's nothing you'd care about anyways."
"That would be cruel and unusual punishment," Malo retorted. "Besides, I can just ask your girlfriend." He turned to Beth. "Beth, what was it?"
"It was our friend," she said in a dreamy state. "I saw him running down the street toward the main square. He had something in his mouth, but I couldn't tell what it was. It was kinda long like a stick, but shiny." Everyone besides Malo instantly recognized she was referring to their wolf friend.
"What?" Malo asked incredulously. "What kind of friend do you have?"
"Well, he was far away. We couldn't really see him that well," Beth admitted, swaying side to side as she spoke. Her hands were sheepishly behind her back.
"Don't tell me your friends with Tingle." Malo's face instantly soured as unpleasant memories resurfaced.
"Hey Colin, I think I need to get something from the basement. Want to come with me? It'll give us something to do." Ilia suggested cheerfully. She knew Colin needed something to get his mind off his father. At this point, even a trivial task like this served as an essential distraction. After all, she wanted to verify for herself if the wolf had really left.
"I suppose so," Colin said mildly. He pushed himself away from the crowded window and followed Ilia down the stairs. Malo looked at them skeptically, but then returned to his inquisition of Beth and Talo.
As they unlocked and opened the door leading to the basement, they nearly choked on the overwhelming dust stagnating the air. When Malo stated he hadn't been down there in ages, he wasn't joking. The light of the lantern Ilia held didn't offer much relief through the thick cloud they waded through. As they walked down the creaky wooden steps, the light from the open windows offered a beacon of hope in the deserted basement. Without hesitation, they rushed to the closest window they could and refreshed their lungs with the crisp outside air.
"Definitely looks like the wolf left," Ilia said as she moved the lantern to illuminate the entire room. She looked around, but found nothing but dusty old furniture, odd crates and chests, and heaped up garbage covered in cobwebs. "It certainly didn't stay long, though I didn't expect it to."
"Wait a second, Ilia," Colin commented, crouching down to the floor. "Bring the lantern a little lower." As she did so, Colin drew their attention to footmarks placed in the dust. "This is the window we brought the wolf in, right?"
Ilia looked to the window and back at the ground where Colin was pointing. "Yup. That's the one. I can see the main road from here." She paused. "Why?"
Colin followed the trail made in the dust with his eyes as best as he could. There were several marks that frequently overlapped, but thankfully, their wolf friend hadn't moved around too much. "If what Papa taught me about tracking is right, there's two types of tracks here: wolf paws and boots of some kind."
"You act like there's a squirrel in your pants. I don't see why you're makin' such a fuss." Ilia said. "Didn't one of us come down to check on it earlier?"
"That's the thing, Ilia. If one of us had, the tracks would've come from the stairs, but it looks like no ones used those for at least a few days. These boot tracks come from the direction of the window, and apparently return to it." He paused, taking a moment to process everything. "Even stranger, the wolf tracks meld into the boots, almost as if they're from the same source."
"So what are you sayin'? That we sheltered a werewolf?" Ilia scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. Those exist only in old legends."
"Yeah, you're probably right," Colin laughed nervously to himself. He redirected Ilia's hand so the lantern illuminated more of the tracks and followed them. His eyes narrowed. "Whatever it was, it was looking for something. The footprints make an abrupt turn here, so it must've found something and left. After that, I'm guessing our wolf friend followed Rusl."
"Wow, for someone who herds goats, you're pretty observant, Colin," Ilia complimented.
"That almost sounded like an insult," Colin joked. He continued staring at one spot in particular.
"I didn't mean it that way," she defended. Ilia walked over to where Colin was standing and followed his eyes. As she stared at the spot, a switch in her mind finally clicked and puzzle pieces fell into place.
"Farore's wind," Ilia muttered half-shocked. "It stole Link's sword."
After returning from their visit with Zelda a few days earlier, Ilia and Rusl had taken Link's cap and sword with them as memorials. To keep his death a secret from everyone else for the time being, they had decided to store Link's cap with Epona and Link's sword in the basement where it would be out of sight. Now, not only was a heavily sentimental item missing, but there was a strange wolf on the loose with her best friend's sword. Ilia wanted to panic, but she did her best to maintain some composure.
"Pardon?" Colin broke Ilia's musings. "I'm not sure if I heard you right. Did you say Link's sword?"
Unable to focus, Ilia's tongue slipped before she could take the words back. "It's a long story that I don't have time to tell. We have to find Rusl right now."
"You don't think-" Colin's voice trailed off.
"I don't know, but the sooner Rusl knows about this, the better."
"We're going to look for him?" Colin replied in disbelief. "But we're supposed to stay here."
"And the fact that that an animal stole a sword and is followin' your father doesn't bother you?" Ilia posed. "That wolf could easily belong to someone; someone with a grudge or agenda." She began heading up the stairs, looking behind her to see if Colin would follow.
Colin was silent. He looked once more at where the sword was supposed to have been. Hundreds of questions ran through his mind like an insatiable mob, but he had no time to satisfy them with answers. He ran past her up the stairs. "Let's go."
Neither one being from the city, it could have taken several minutes for Ilia and Colin to find the location of the castle gates. Thankfully, their pursuit hit a stroke of luck when they stumbled upon a stream of soldiers on their arrival at the main square. The two Ordonians followed the procession from a distance, blending in with the town crowd as best they could. The river of soldiers marched through the main square and past the large wooden gates that led to the courtyard of Hyrule Castle.
The two stopped a short distance away from the castle entrance. "How are we going to get in? They'll never let the likes of us enter." Colin said. His eyes diverted to the two guards at either end, ushering in soldier after soldier with a wave of their hands.
"I don't know. We'll think of sumethin'." Ilia paused. She looked around for inspiration, but nothing came to her.
"Hey! You! What are you doing out here?" came a shout. The pair tensed and slowly turned around to find one of the guards looking suspiciously at them. "We're at war! All pages are supposed to be on duty helping their knight outfit for battle. Get in there, runt!"
They both looked at each other but said nothing; they were unsure of whether to tell the truth or not. However, the situation was taken out of their hands when Colin was grabbed by the shoulder and ushered into the stream of warriors. Ilia tried to follow, but she was held back by the guard. "War is no place for women like you. Go back home and make dinner until your husband comes home or something."
Ilia felt the strong urge to sock the soldier in the mouth but resisted considering she didn't have a weapon. She waited, seeing if Colin would reemerge from the large wooden doors, but they were soon closed when the last of the soldiers entered. She approached the guard once again to ask where the army was headed.
"They're going to Death Mountain last I heard. I'm just a castle guard so I wouldn't know." He smiled to himself. "I'm just glad I don't have to risk my neck out there 'less someone attacks the castle. Who would be stupid enough to try that?"
"I see," Ilia said, thinking to herself she understood why Hylian soldiers were the butt of many a joke. Diligent leaders like Geoffrey must be in the minority. Turning on her heel, she walked away and waited by the fountain. The inevitable procession of soldiers would have to reemerge at some point with Rusl and Colin somewhere amongst them.
Colin was in a state of perpetual confusion as he found himself lost in the large crowd of veteran soldiers and fighters alike. Bodies, both big and small, pushed him around like a piece of paper blown about by the wind. Before long, he reached the edge of the crowd and inhaled fresh air once again with a great sigh of relief. He looked around him and stared in amazement at the courtyard he was standing in.
Behind him, the newly constructed Hyrule Castle loomed over him like a mountain. Its lofty stone towers dwarfed the young man, making him feel even smaller and insignificant. Green hedges trimmed to perfection lining the main paths through the courtyard. Past some of the soldiers, marble fountains trickled with pristine water. Off the main paths, beautiful flowers painted with all sorts of vibrant reds, purples, yellows, and pinks blossomed in the summer air. He could only imagine their sweet aroma, for the air around him stank of sweat and metal. Stars shone brightly overhead, a welcome sight after the storms earlier that afternoon.
"I believe I've seen you before. You're Rusl's son, are you not?" Geoffrey's voice came from behind Colin, nearly causing the young man to jump out of his skin. The lieutenant laid an assuring hand on Colin's shoulder to calm him. The soldier continued: "I didn't know you were helping the war effort.."
Colin shook his head hesitantly. "No, I'm not. This is all some sort of mistake. I was just trying to find my father. Have you seen him?"
Geoffrey shook his head from side to side. "Your father isn't here anymore. He just left with a scouting team to check the forward terrain for enemy traps." He looked around, watching soldiers and other army officials hurrying around to make preparations under such short notice. "However, we could use some extra help if you would be willing to lend us your assistance. We are running with fewer men than usual."
Colin's eyes hardened, and a determined line spread across his face. This was his chance to help make a difference in Hyrule. "What do you need?"
"We need someone to fetch the horses from the Imperial Stable. Rusl mentioned earlier you were good with horses, so this should be perfect for you. Just go along the outer edge of the Eastern courtyard and you should find them." Geoffrey pointed with his hand to indicate the direction he was talking about.
Colin nodded and ran off in that direction. As Geoffrey had described, the stable was easy enough to find. Surprisingly, few other pages were in here for the amount of horses that had to be saddled and readied for battle. Not really knowing where to start, Colin decided it would be best to start from the back of the stable and move forward. He hadn't even opened the first gate when he saw a silver blur out of the corner of his eye.
He couldn't resist the urge to investigate. He thought he had seen the anomaly climb a stack of hay bales into the upper loft where the rest of the hay was stored. Colin looked around quickly to check if anyone was watching him. Ensuring everyone else was busy with their duties, he dashed up the pile and into the loft as well.
"You!" he exclaimed in surprise upon reaching the top. In front of his eyes, Colin saw the wolf lying contently on a bed of hay in the loft. When the animal noticed his presence, it glared menacingly at him and growled but did not move. Spread across its paws was the sword Ilia had mentioned, one that looked shockingly like Link's Ordon Sword.
Colin returned the wolf's mysterious gaze. From what Talo had mentioned, this wolf was quite intelligent for an animal. His lips pursed in hostility. "You're no ordinary wolf, are you?" He paused. "Who are you really?"
Ilia's prediction soon came true. She hadn't been waiting longer than one hourly toll of the bell when Geoffrey emerged from the castle gates upon horseback with his captain beside him and company behind him. They were arranged in two columns and riding in formation. Several other companies were behind him, forming a somewhat impressive looking battalion. He hadn't gone halfway through the central part of Castle Town when Ilia ran beside him. She motioned for him to lean down and whispered something quickly in his ear while walking beside him. After a few moments of careful pondering and a quick eye to his captain, he whispered something back and urged her away. He and his company then marched down the eastern road and through the gate that lead to the waiting battlefield.
Ilia returned to her spot by the fountain and watched the battalion ride by. The spraying of the fountain moistened her shoulders, amplifying the coolness of the evening breeze. Her hawk like gaze sorted through the various soldier profiles as they passed, looking for the young blond haired profile that was Colin's.
She sighed to herself. Geoffrey had informed her that Rusl had already gone ahead as part of a scouting team. That left Colin. The lieutenant had mentioned seeing him earlier. Yet, despite how hard she looked, she couldn't find pick him out from amongst the crowd.
The procession passed by and took her hopes with them. Ilia remained standing alone by the central fountain, desperately thinking of solutions to find her friend. She approached the castle guard once again, bracing herself for more insults.
"Pardon, sir, where do the pages go?" she pleaded.
"How should I know?" came the guard's disinterested response. "I would think with the soldiers."
She nodded and walked away. Ideas circled around in her mind like a vicious whirlpool. Yet, one thought stood out amongst the rest like a solid shelter in the midst of a malevolent storm.
She had to go to Death Mountain. She had to follow them.
Ilia dismissed the idea as radical at first. There was only a small chance she could've missed him in the procession. Besides, what if he was still in Castle Town?
Yet, the more she thought about it, the stronger the impulse grew. As she began to walk towards the stables once again, she scrutinized herself in solemn reflection. Several years ago, she wouldn't have even considered such an idea. However, she had changed in the last few years; her resolve had strengthened and her boldness had increased. Being exposed to the harsh world outside of Ordon had refined her character, tempering her into a young woman that couldn't stand idly by as those she loved were thrown in harm's way.
Within minutes of arriving at the stable, she had opened Zephyr's gate, attached her saddle, and walked her outside. She had considered riding Epona, but felt more comfortable with Zephyr. After marching outside the Eastern Gate, she mounted herself onto the horse's back and kicked on the spurs. The pair broke into a gallop and chased the cavalry across Hyrule Field in hot pursuit. With every step of the horse's mighty hooves, Ilia's resolve grew stronger to find Colin before the looming war descended on the kingdom.