DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own The Legend of Zelda or any of it's characters. I do, however, own my OC's and the plot to this story.

Okay, so this chapter right here is why my updates started slowing down because I had to re-write it THREE damn times because I kept screwing it up -_- I just couldn't get it to flow right. This chapter was WAY longer, but it flows better by cutting in in half (don't kill me)

Also, I'd appreciate more reviews! The review counter currently says 27. I want it to say 30 before I upload the next chapter because you guys reviewing is the only thing keeping me motivated enough to type this story.

Anyhoo, I hope you enjoy this chapter

Hold it Tight

When they got back to Ordon they were urged towards the mayor's house and Uli ordered Rusl to lay Link down on the hastily cleared table. She and Pergie quickly stripped the wounded hero of everything but his underwear while Ilia wiped him clean of blood with a damp cloth.

"You sure you wanna stay dear?" Uli asked Zelda, who stood in the corner looking unsure of herself.

Sera had bandaged the wounds Zelda received in her fight with Mark and was now gathering various medical supplies for Link. She pulled a bottle of ointment off a shelf and smelt it. She scrunched up her nose and quickly put it back while mumbling about how it would probably do more harm than good.

"I... Um... Him getting hurt was my fault, so I'm willing to do anything I can to help," Zelda answered, wringing her fingers.

"I'm glad that guy- What did Rusl say his name was?" Pergie asked no one in particular as she examined the gash on Link's side.

"Iasik," Zelda supplied.

"Iasik? Yeah, that was it. I'm glad that Iasik guy helped him or else he'd Probably be dead by now." Pergie took a closer look at the wound and frowned. "Though it would've been a lot more helpful if he'd cleaned the wound before he wrapped it."

"Sera, could you please get some alcohol so we can disinfect his wounds?" Uli asked as she pulled several jars of homemade ointment out of a basket she'd brought from her own house.

"Already got it," The hefty woman replied. Pergie promptly took it from her and uncorked it.

"Ilia, I'm gonna need you to help hold him down. Same goes for you, milady," Pergie informed them.

"But he's unconscious," Ilia objected in confusion.

"Not for long, I'm afraid," Uli told her as she stared worriedly at the unconscious blond. "He'll wake up once we start cleaning his wounds.

"And when he does, his first instinct is gonna be to get away," Pergie finished.

"He's gonna be in a lot of pain. Are you sure you wanna stay?" Uli asked once more.

The queen tentatively nodded and made her way to the table. She and Ilia gently, but firmly, grabbed
Link's arms and Pergie started to pour the alcohol on his wounds, starting with the gash on his side and then moving on to the smaller wounds. His cerulean eyes shot open and the two women struggled to hold him down as he gritted his teeth in a desperate attempt not to scream.

"It's okay, Link. It'll all be over soon," Ilia told him, her voice low.

Zelda unconsciously began to hum the lullaby Impa wound sing to her as a child. Link's eyes drifted towards her and he tried to focus on her face despite his swimming vision.

Uli pressed a clean cloth over the areas where Pergie had dumped the alcohol to dry them before she applied a thick honey based ointment on them. Unlike the alcohol, this soothed and numbed his wounds. Sera assisted in loosely wrapping his wounds and promptly fetched a sheet to cover the hero with.

"Next time," Link panted, "Just kill me."

He visibly relaxed and promptly slipped back into unconsciousness and Zelda and Ilia watched over him as he slept.

"I'm so sorry," Zelda whispered, releasing his left hand as she stood. She turned towards Ilia. "Will you be okay watching him by yourself for a while?"

"Sure," she replied, barely getting it out her mouth before Zelda ran out the door.

She kept running despite the stinging pain in her thigh until she reached Ordona's spring. She sat on the cold sand and pulled her knees to her chest, hiding her face in them. She stayed like that for over two hours, not moving once, until Ilia walked into the spring.

"Zelda?" She cautiously called, blushing. Calling her by her name made her feel awkward.

The queen's head shot up and she quickly covered her depressed expression with a small smile. "Hello, Ilia." She patted the ground next to her and the Ordonian hesitantly sat beside her.

"So, I just thought I'd tell you that Link woke up a while ago and that he insists on walking around. I kept telling him that he should be resting, but he won't, as per usual, listen to a single word I say," Ilia said, making a face that was a combination of amusement and exasperation.

Zelda chuckled at this. "That's Link for you. In fact, I recall him doing the same thing three years ago. I would constantly nag him about how he wouldn't heal if he didn't rest, but that didn't stop him from helping out with the restoration of Castle Town."

"I remember him mentioning something on the lines of that," Ilia smiled.

"He'll be just fine," Zelda said, more to herself than to Ilia. "He's a fast healer."

Ilia was about to comment on how she was right when she was suddenly snatched up by the back of her jacket. A man restrained her while a woman with black curly hair locked her arm around Zelda's neck and drew a dagger from her hip. Ilia screamed.

AN: Dun Dun Dun! Cliff hanger! Haha!

Mysterious Woman: Review or I kill the queen.