It took another three days before Link was well enough to leave the bed. He wasn't allowed to walk around on his own, so Renado told Colin or Talo or Beth or Luda to accompany him. He didn't mind too much. Even though he was able to walk again, his body still ached and felt weak.

Being outside did him some good, though. The sky being a bright blue again, the monsters having been driven away, it all put a smile on his face as he slowly walked through the village with whoever happened to be accompanying him at the time. Sometimes it was Luda, who told Link about the legends that her father had taught her. Other times it was Talo, who bragged about how well he was protecting the village while Ilia and Prince Ralis were getting better.

Ilia and Prince Ralis. The Zora prince had recovered before Link. At first Link wasn't sure where Prince Ralis spent all of his time. Then Beth told him one day that the prince often went to the graveyard. He wasn't sure why - surely Queen Rutela wouldn't have been buried in Kakariko Village? It was something he'd have to figure out once he was well enough to not need someone accompanying him.

As for Ilia... Her memory still didn't return. Though she'd learned that her name was Ilia, there was no recognition in her eyes when someone spoke her name. There was a pain in Link's chest whenever she treated him like a stranger, rather than her childhood friend.

Renado had assured everyone that Ilia's memory would come back in time. He suggested that perhaps something from home would jog her memory. Link had wanted to bolt for Epona and race to Ordon Village when he heard that, though he knew that wasn't a good idea while he was still healing.

And then there was the light spirit. Eldin. He avoided the spring when he could. Sometimes Renado would bring him to it - not to talk to Eldin, just to let the spring's waters do what it could to help Link recover. It made Link wish the hot spring weren't so high up in the village.

Eventually, Telma came by to visit him. She'd first asked him how he was doing, before thanking him for getting the three of them safely to Kakariko Village.

She gave him a grin. "So, those skills of yours. Any chance you're of the mind to put them to use for Hyrule?" Her grin fell to a somber expression. "What hope there is in our kingdom, it's frail and dying... But there's still a group trying to do what it can. And I'm a member of that group." So that was what Telma had been wanting to talk with him about.

Telma continued, when he didn't say anything at first. "I can't tell you too much about the group, not right now. Everything's got to be pretty secret. But you're more than welcome to join us. Everything that's happened these last months, someone's got to do something to make things right."

Link considered the offer. Perhaps this could be what he would do, after he and Midna went their separate ways? Lanayru had said Hyrule's troubles weren't done yet, maybe this was what they had meant.

He missed home, though. How long had it been since his biggest worries were just over the goats and the kids?

When would he be able to bring the kids home?

If he joined Telma's group, maybe the kids would be able to go home a little sooner.

He nodded at Telma. "Alright, I'll join your group."

She smiled. "That's good to hear, honey. When you're feeling better, I want to see you at my bar again, alright?" When Link tilted his head, she continued. "The bar is actually a kind of safe house for my friends." She glanced around, and then her voice dropped to a whisper. "There's a passageway that leads to the castle from in there."

Link blinked in surprise. A passageway to the castle, from her bar?

He was about to ask a question, but Telma shook her head and shushed him. "Secret, remember?" When Link nodded, she gave him another grin. "I'll see you at my bar, then!" With that, she left the room.

When Telma decided to head back to her bar, Renado had asked a Goron to accompany her. With Bulblins still stalking the fields, there wasn't such a thing as 'too careful'. Both her horse and the borrowed horse - right, right, 'Marlor' was that horse's name - pulled the wagon, so Telma could bring Marlor back to the city. What might Marlor's owner think, if they knew about the trek to Kakariko?

Talo had also wanted to go with, to help protect the wagon. Renado reminded Talo that if he went with Telma, he wouldn't have a way to get back to Kakariko Village safely. Besides, Renado had pointed out, didn't Talo want to keep protecting Kakariko Village? Link grinned when Renado told him about that.

As Link began to recover, Renado slowly allowed him to take walks unaccompanied. At first, they were only short walks - from Elde Inn to the general store and back. Small things that would carry less risk of Link overworking himself while he was still healing. For the first few walks, someone would still stand some distance away, just in case. Then, slowly, Link was allowed to walk entirely by himself, and for longer distances.

Eventually, he was allowed to add nighttime walks to his routine. His recovery was steadily progressing, Renado said, and since some people were still out and about at night - such as the Gorons who ran their small shop across the path from Barnes'.

Link had been taking just such a walk through Kakariko Village when he saw her. The ghost of Queen Rutela. She nodded, then beckoned for him to follow her as she floated away. Where was she leading him?

Oh. The graveyard.

She easily floated over the gravestones that were scattered across the small hill. Link had to be careful where he stepped. The dead were not known to be appreciative of the living disrupting their graves.

At the back of the graveyard was the stone staircase, with two gnarled and possibly-dead trees that flanked the small opening in the rock wall - wait, what? Hadn't there been a boulder here, with some kind of symbol on it? But Link couldn't see anything like that in the area. Weird.

Queen Rutela must have noticed his confusion. "The place beyond here is a well-kept secret, known only to the Zoras and to friends of the Zoras."

Through the small opening was a clearing Link could only describe as beautiful. Serene, even. Clear water that gently lapped at the sides of the ledge he stood on, with vines and moss growing all along the rock walls around him. Waterfalls slowly brought water into the clearing, and Link could even see a tree growing above where Queen Rutela was now floating.

A stone pillar of some kind was sitting there, on a ledge opposite where Link stood. The design almost looked like a fish's fin. Queen Rutela beckoned him forward again, and so he waded through the water until he stood in front of the pillar.

Vines and moss were growing on it too, like everything else in the clearing. Both on the pillar and on the rock wall behind it, Link could see intricate designs - vines, swirls, and a familiar-looking design in the middle of it all - carved into the stone. What was a pillar like this doing in the back of the graveyard in Kakariko? He looked up at Queen Rutela.

The late Zora queen nodded at him. "I am deeply grateful to you for aiding my son in his time of need. You were right to bring him here. Kakariko Village is a sacred place for the Zora people. It is where we take our eternal rest."

Link tilted his head. It was?

Queen Rutela looked down at the pillar. "My husband in life, King Savin de Bon the 21st, also rests his spirit here." She was quiet for a few moments, before looking back up at Link with a somber expression on her face. "It is no coincidence that my son found his salvation in this place."

Queen Rutela closed her eyes and was quiet for a few more moments, before looking down at the pillar again - no, it must have been her husband's grave. "That which I have promised you is within this grave." What? No, Link couldn't take something from a grave! It wasn't right! He looked up at Queen Rutela.

The ghostly Zora queen gave him a soft smile. "During my-" Her voice faltered, and she frowned. Then she shook her head and continued. "During his lifetime, my husband created armor specifically for the chosen hero. A garment that housed the abilities of the Zora. Though he is no longer with us to present it, it was intended to be given to you." How? He'd never even met any Zoras before he first went to Zora's Domain!

Queen Rutela floated lower and gently touched her husband's grave. With the sound of stone scraping against stone, the grave slowly slid open. Link winced and looked away. It would be disrespectful to look.

There was a chill on his shoulder suddenly. Queen Rutela's hand. He looked up at her. "Do not worry, chosen hero. My husband will not take offense. He left this armor for you." She gestured at the grave, inviting Link to look. Did it have to be in the grave?! Link closed his eyes, almost wishing he had decided to just rest in the inn.

How rude of him. Here was the late Zora queen, giving him a gift, and he was trying to refuse it. Not just that, but if he didn't take the gift, Midna wouldn't be able to get the last Fused Shadow. He sighed and pried his eyes open, turning to look into the late Zora king's grave.

To his surprise, there wasn't a body in the grave. There was a small opening, which had something resting inside it. How?

Queen Rutela chuckled. "My husband wouldn't have been buried in the same compartment as the armor. He knew that sight would trouble me so." Oh. So the opening was only for the armor. That made things a little better. "Go on, chosen hero. Take your armor." It wasn't his, not yet. Not until he'd picked it up for himself.

He slowly stepped over to where the armor rested, careful again to keep his steps light and gentle. Though King Savin had made the armor for him, Link doubted the king would appreciate being stirred from sleep. Once he approached it, he could more closely see the intricate detail on the armor. He knelt down to get a closer look.

The tunic was a deep blue, with shimmering silvery scales along the chest. A helmet made of a brownish-golden metal sat on top of the tunic, with markings on it that matched the stone wall behind the gravestone. Nestled under the helmet was what seemed to be a necklace, its pendant made of three circles that each held a bright blue gem.

Link looked up at Queen Rutela as he picked up the tunic and stood. "Please, tell your husband that I said thank you."

She nodded. Her mouth opened, but before she could say whatever it was she was going to-

There was a raspy young boy's voice from behind Link. "Mother?"

Standing at the other ledge in the clearing was Prince Ralis. Even from where he stood, Link could see that there were tears in the prince's eyes.

Queen Rutela floated over to where Prince Ralis stood, gently placing a hand on his cheek. "Oh, Ralis, my dearest son. I'm so sorry." Prince Ralis brought his own hand up, trying to reach for Queen Rutela's. The Zora prince's bottom lip began to quiver as his hand passed directly through the late queen's hand. Link turned away. Whether to give the two a bit of privacy, or whether to ease the stabbing ache in his chest, he wasn't entirely sure.

Prince Ralis' voice came out as a warbling croak when he spoke. "Mother, I... I'm not... Why? Why did this have to happen?" The aching in Link's chest grew stronger, making it harder to breathe. His vision blurred, just for a moment, but he wiped those stray tears away.

Rusl's hand had been gentle on Link's shoulder, his voice even gentler. "Sometimes, Link, bad things happen. It doesn't do us any good to dwell on them, though." He had looked away from Link, up at the treetops. "Better to do what you can to move forward."

Link had followed Rusl's gaze, staring up at the trees, at the sunlight that burned his eyes. Maybe the sun would burn away his tears.

Focus. That was a long time ago, now. Focus on Queen Rutela, on Prince Ralis. Once the ache in his chest was gone, he turned around.

Ralis' eyes were filled with tears. "-ease, don't go..."

Queen Rutela was looking down at the prince, a sad smile on her face. "I'm sorry, my son. I cannot remain for much longer. But know that I love you, as I always did, without end." She touched the prince's face again. "Would you promise me something, Ralis?" When he frantically nodded, she continued. "Promise me that you'll be brave as the king of the Zoras. You have your life ahead of you, please don't let grief keep you from being there for your people."

Prince Ralis' voice was barely above a whisper. "I... I promise, Mother." He gave a small smile, even with the tears that fell from his eyes. "I'll make you proud."

Queen Rutela's smile softened into one with less sadness. "I know you will, my dear boy. You already have." Her ghostly form began to fade, and her smile was again full of sorrow. "Goodbye, Ralis. May Lord Jabu watch over you always." With that, she faded away completely, leaving Link and Prince Ralis as the only ones in the hidden clearing.