A/N - Hello everyone! Thank you for the continued support and kind reviews. Here's a long one to make up for my absence last week - the 4th is my mom's birthday, so I was with family this past weekend.
Next week's update may also be delayed, as I'll be out of town for the week.
Cheers, hope you enjoy!
Chapter 6 - Calm
Despite her difficulty falling asleep, Isha found herself waking with the sun with more energy than she expected to have. She stretched her back as she sat up, the inside of Link's home lit with the soft morning glow of the sunrise outside. The chirping of birds outside put her in a lighter mood than she felt she should have.
An unfamiliar material scratched at her skin, and she looked down to recall that Link had lent her one of his old shirts to sleep in, instead of having to sleep in the same tunic she'd just traveled in. The shirt was from his teenage years, he'd told her. She supposed it would have fit better if she wasn't so malnourished, but at least it was comfortable.
Down below, her host was already working on preparing a breakfast for them that would give them enough energy to make it through their busy morning. She yawned loudly, drawing his attention.
"Morning," his sleepy voice reached her. "Sleep okay?"
She shrugged, her throat dry and eyes still stinging from the crying fit that had taken her the night before. Not that he needed to know.
Isha reached up, closed the curtain that offered privacy to her loft and changed back into her own clothes, folding Link's neatly and setting it off to the side. She also took the time to fold up her blankets and set the pillow on top, leaving the space neat and tidy before descending the ladder.
A plate of eggs and pork was waiting for her on the table, Link's plate already half-cleared. She thanked him for the meal and immediately gulped down the cup of fruit juice he'd provided. She made quick work of the meal, grateful that he did not bother her with conversation at such an early hour, something her mother never could seem to avoid doing.
Not half an hour later, Link led her back outside and down to his makeshift training area, where he walked her over to a particularly massive boulder that propped up one of his target dummies.
"So, do you think you can move this at all?" he asked, patting the large rock.
She gave him a strange look. It was taller than he was and thrice as wide. She didn't dare guess how much it weighed. "I don't think you can move it."
A smirk graced his tired face before he turned and planted his feet a shoulders' width apart. Link rubbed his hands together and then embraced the boulder. With a grunt, the rock began to lift. To Isha's shock, Link straightened his legs and began to walk. She observed the way his muscles flexed and pushed against the skin of his arms, his veins swelling with the effort. His legs remained steady, his balance perfect as he escorted the massive rock across his training yard.
She stole a glance at her own arms, which had never shown her muscles in such a defined way. Sure, she had a decent amount of upper arm strength thanks to her bow, but in his presence she suddenly felt incredibly weak. Helpless, even.
He finally stopped and dropped the boulder, turning back to her and grinning. "We'll get you there," he assured her when he saw her defeated face. "I grew up wrestling goats and working on a farm, if you recall. I can't imagine you did quite as much physical labor as a teacher."
She knew he was trying to cheer her up, but his words stung nonetheless. "It wasn't exactly my choice," she mumbled. "Nobody bothered to–"
He flicked her forehead, holding back a laugh when her mouth dropped open in surprise. "You have a choice now. No excuses. Now, let's see what you're actually capable of doing now."
Despite the healing comfort that Ordona's spring water brought her, Isha felt like she couldn't get her bath out of the way fast enough. The midmorning sun was near useless in warming the waters thanks to the thick cover of South Faron Woods, and the cool fall air bit at any bare skin that dared to rise above the water. She couldn't decide if it was colder in or out of the pond.
Her shoulders and legs and back and everything screamed at every movement, her sore muscles hardly eased in the apparently weak healing properties of Ordon Spring. At least Eldin can heal sore muscles, she thought with bitter frustration.
Though naturally colder than anything Isha was used to, the landscape around her was nothing short of breathtaking, especially to someone who grew up around rocks. Link had shown her a secluded area of the spring, overgrown with massive leafy bushes and towering trees. At some point in the past, someone had taken the time to stack up a wall of large, flat rocks a ways out into the spring, providing a solid privacy barrier from the rest of the clearing. It had long since been grown over with moss and aquatic vegetation. Somewhere beyond the trees, Isha could make out the soft burbling of the spring's source.
Bracing herself for the chill once more, Isha ducked her head under the spring and scrubbed at her scalp vigorously to ensure she'd rid herself of all soap and grime. She decided she'd had enough of being cold and made for the shore where she'd left her borrowed towel. She bundled herself up within the thick wool fabric, her teeth still chattering.
Gods, I hope Link hurries up. Her companion had left to go see one of the women of the village - Uli - and see if she had any clothes to spare. He'd explained she was expecting a baby any day now, and likely still had clothes she could no longer wear just lying around.
Isha sat on the shore and listened to the sounds of the forest for a while, absolutely taken by the difference in wildlife from her village. The birds around her village were massive predators who made their homes in the side of cliffs and did not grace the air with lovely tittering songs, instead piercing the skies with shrill cries as they scanned for rodents or even the occasional young domestic pup to satiate their predatory cravings.
With her thoughts on home, she again considered the Light Spirit Eldin, and wondered if the legends of the "protectors of the provinces" were all just embellished, and they were truly nothing more than spirits that enjoyed living in springs. Something he'd said to her still didn't quite make sense.
All her life, Isha had been under the impression that legendary heroes made themselves, not just born into greatness. After all, the tales that survived the passage of time rarely included details or birth or early life, but instead focused always on the great feats accomplished by their protagonists.
Yet, the man she now traveled with Eldin had referred to as "chosen by the gods." In the wide, diverse, beautiful world they lived in, she couldn't help but feel that it would be ridiculous for the gods to bless someone who lived outside of the kingdom that worshiped them. Let alone someone like Link.
She had yet to see anything about him that was particularly special, and she still found his choice of weaponry to be a fool's decision. He was decently strong, yes, but did not have the stature she would expect of a hero. He walked with a slight limp, wore peasant clothing and tunics that were decades out of style, lived in a modest treehouse, and carried a dull metal sword and wooden shield.
His stated purpose for even showing up when he did wasn't even anything world-shattering. A young fighter searching for the kidnapped children of his village? Valiant, for sure, but nothing legendary. And forget being of a notable lineage - The poor man had confessed the night before that he didn't even know who his parents were, killed while on a journey to Castle Town shortly after he was born.
Then again, these were strange times they were living in.
As her jade eyes traveled up to the thick canopy above, Isha couldn't help but think that, had her parents chosen to settle down in an area such as this, her father would have never had to face a kargarok. Perhaps he could have even protected Link's parents from whatever ill fate they met on the road all those years ago.
A whistle from down the forest path pulled her away from her dark thoughts before they could undo the hour of relaxing she'd spent in the spring. Isha strained her ears and listened for the uneven footsteps of a man who'd grown up riding horses, praying he'd brought something warm.
She stepped up to the stone wall and popped her head over the top, her chin resting on the cold, dark stones. Link carried with him a burlap sack, thrown casually over his shoulder. He'd dressed in a dark gray long-sleeved shirt and brown trousers, his shoulder-length hair pulled back into a low ponytail.
"Gods, you took long enough," she said as he approached the base of the wall and held the bag up to her.
"Uli had a lot to say," he chuckled. "But she also had four complete outfits that should work for you. She provided some belts just in case anything is too big."
"Hope she knows she's my favorite Ordanian." Isha dropped back down and began to sift through the bag of clothes. "How much do I owe her?"
"Favorite, huh? Competition's pretty fierce, it seems," Link quipped. He turned and leaned his back against the wall, his eyes set on the gate that had been trampled down by monsters on the day all of Ordon's life was turned upside down. "You saved her son," he continued. "I don't think you will owe her anything for a long time."
"No, I should at least-"
"Before you argue with me, give it some thought. That woman would give you the entire kingdom for Colin's safety, if she could. Let her thank you," he urged.
Isha appeared from behind the wall, wearing a high-collared tunic woven of varying shades of red fabrics with long, loose sleeves and an off-white belt tied hastily around her middle. The shirt fell well past her thighs, giving way to a pair of light wool tights stuffed into a pair of tan working boots. The shirt was certainly still a bit too big for her, though Link supposed that she would need the room to grow if she hoped to build up muscle.
She looked herself over and then back to Link, catching him in the act of looking her up and down. Men. "She has rather lovely taste in clothes, I have to admit," she said, tossing her wet hair over her shoulder.
"She makes them herself. Ordon suits you, you know." Link patted her shoulder and walked past her, headed to take a spring bath of his own.
"Ah yes, from one small village fashion to another, what a change." She turned to leave. "Do you mind if I shoot those targets around your house?"
"Not at all," he replied.
Link found her again a while later still practicing with her bow. He looked around at the targets, the bullseyes' of which were all peppered with fresh, deep gashes. Previously, he'd used the targets just to give the kids something to throw rocks at that wasn't his house or wild animals. He wasn't sure if they'd hold up to much more abuse, at the rate she was going.
Her quiver empty and still unaware that he had returned, Isha shimmed up one of the trees to begin recollecting her arrows. When she finally did notice him, she nearly fell from the branches, startled by his appearance.
"Sorry about that," he called as she righted herself in the bough of a large tree. "Having fun?"
Isha shrugged. "I suppose it's better than nothing." She leapt down, landing just a few inches in front of him. "I meant to ask earlier, did you have a chance to see about a wagon while you were in town?"
Link ran a hand through his still-dripping hair. "Fado - the owner of the goat ranch - had a problem with one of the goats that ended in his cart getting broken and he doesn't have any parts to fix it with. Rusl, Uli's husband, took our mayor's cart to Castle Town to get parts. Unfortunately for us, that's both carts accounted for."
"How far away is Castle Town from here?" she asked, disappointment clouding her features.
"At least two and a half days, if you're in good shape," he sighed. "When I left the village, he was one of the villagers attacked by monsters. He was pretty roughed up."
Isha shook her head and turned away. "At this point we'd be better off going to town ourselves and buying a new cart. Kakariko is a little over half a day away from the east side of town."
"Uli claims he left last week," Link continued on. "If he returns tomorrow, it would be faster to wait for him. And there's…. Something else."
Link braced himself, his next topic having already caused a pretty heated argument between him and Midna while he was at the spring. Still, he could not ignore the feeling in his gut that leaving the village without a trained fighter to protect them would be a dire mistake.
"I've already told Uli that you saved the younger ones. While I was there, Beth's mom stopped by and I told her as well, and as you might imagine, word travels fast in a village this small. They all suggested that we stick around for one more day so that they could pull together a party to thank you-"
"Absolutely not," she cut him off. "I didn't save their kids to gain anything. I saw kids who were terrified and knew I could do something. I didn't know if anyone else would save them if I didn't. Your hospitality and the clothes Uli gifted me are more than enough thanks. Besides, we cannot confirm the safety of Ilia. How would her parents feel?"
"Can I finish?"
She narrowed her eyes at his tone, but she said no more.
"When the kids were taken, I didn't think to stop and tell them that I was going after them. My legs just started moving, and this is my first time back home as- I mean, since the attack. They've been living under the impression that we were all dead. If you don't want to accept anything else from them for free, then that's fine. They've neglected their daily tasks, and there's a lot of work to be done. We can help them with weeding the fields, laundry, cleaning, whatever they need. With Rusl gone, they're also completely unprotected."
It was the final statement that finally broke Isha's annoyed scowl. She lowered her crossed arms and bit the inside of her cheek in thought. "I see," she spoke slowly. "... Fine, I suppose that's a well-enough trade. Protection for food." She threw her refilled quiver and bow across her back.
Link nearly sighed in relief, happy to have found some way to reason with her. "Truth be told, that was what I was most worried about. I know it may delay us a bit further, but without Rusl here–"
A hand on his arm stopped him, and he looked to see Isha grinning at him. "Oh, you don't have to tell me. We can't just leave them defenseless. I just wanted to make sure you were aware of it, too."
He scoffed and bumped her with his shoulder, nearly knocking her off balance. "Come on, the villagers are just dying to meet you."
Though she'd been hesitant at first, Isha soon found herself enjoying the opportunity she had to get a firsthand experience of life in a different village. Pergie and Jaggle, parents to the boys Talo and Malo, showed her how they maintained and operated their waterwheel. Though she'd never seen one in person and grew up far away from any notable moving bodies of water, the structure wasn't entirely unfamiliar to her. Isha had once shown her students how to build out of twigs as part of a science lesson.
Jaggle walked her through the communal vegetable fields that he oversaw, telling her all about the harvesting process and how he knew exactly when to plant, when to harvest, when to cycle the fields. He also told her a little bit about the tiny settlements that dotted the Ordona province, most hardly larger than Ordon. She loved hearing about these previously-unknown-to-her people, and how they contributed to the province's trade.
She later assisted Sera, mother to Beth, with restocking her sundries store (where Isha then proceeded to purchase three new pairs of shoes and a warm blanket) and enjoyed fresh pumpkin soup for lunch, made of course with vegetables picked right from the fields she'd walked through earlier. Isha took a special liking to Sera's cat, who the kids had named Link the Cat. The calico feline was nervous of her at first, but quickly became her best friend when Isha allowed it to have a taste of her soup.
Link the human found himself many times throughout the day trying not to laugh at how his new friend marveled at the most mundane things. Isha took a special fascination with the large pond located at the northeast part of town, the headwaters of a mountain river that snaked through the village as a little creek and became a roaring flood of a river about half a mile south. They stopped by the edge of the lake late in the afternoon just so she could stand and take the scenery in.
"You know, my dad really loved to fish. Loved everything about the water," she said to Link after a bit. The pair stood side by side on a rickety old dock, likely handmade generations prior. The mountain breeze pulled at her braided hair, loose flyaways tickling her face. "He went on a fishing trip to Upper Zora river every year, him and his old war buddies. He always told me that he'd take me someday when I was older, but we never got the chance."
"It's a decent way to pass the time," Link replied, his eyes fixated on the treeline beyond the lake. Monsters had not been spotted this way since the attack, but something still felt off about the atmosphere around them. "Not my favorite thing unless I catch something, though."
She smiled, though Link noted it was forced. "How does a mountain man prefer to pass his free time, then?"
He snorted. "A ranch hand doesn't have much free time. Goats are a lot of work, and Fado can't manage it alone."
"Not to doubt your friend, but how hard is it to put goats in a field and just let them live?"
"If I didn't know any better, I'd be insulted," he replied, turning away from the water's edge and extending his arm for her to take. "Instead of telling you, why don't I just show you?"
Isha had never seen anyone as in-their-element as Link appeared to be while riding atop his beautiful chestnut mare and hollering at the hundreds of goats that grazed in the southern fields to herd them back into the barn. He'd removed his cap before taking off, his dark blonde hair dancing with the wind as his steed galloped across the plains. The two of them moved in beautiful sync.
Beside Isha stood Fado, the owner of the ranch. He talked excitedly about the upcoming village feast. She'd quickly gathered that these villagers were happy to have any reason to throw a party, and she had a feeling it would be just as extravagant as the coming-of-age ceremonies held in Kakariko, despite so few residents to contribute. From the way Jaggle spoke, the region of Ordon was incredibly rich in agriculture.
The goats they raised here provided dairy for all of those settlements as well as most of the southern areas of Hyrule, hence why there were so many for such a small village, Fado had explained. Isha learned that the ranch had once been co-owned by him and Link's parents, and the young swordsman had every right to take over their half, but for an unknown reason he had refused to accept ownership.
"These goats always did listen to him best," Fado continued. "His mother had the same gift for connectin' with animals. It's a shame he doesn't seem to want to stick around."
She gave him a strange look, eying the man up and down. "...How old did you say you were?"
The man laughed a deep, hearty laugh. "Too old for you," he replied with a gleam in his eye.
She rolled her eyes. "Certainly not why I was asking, but I didn't think you were much older than me. Yet you say you knew Link's parents - how long ago did they pass?"
The ranch owner rubbed his narrow chin for a moment, brown eyes lost in memory. "Gosh, it's been nineteen years, if I recall."
She whistled in a low tone. "He must have been very young."
"Just before his third birthday," he replied. "Poor kid didn't understand, thought for the longest time they were just off on an adventure. One day when he was 'bout Talo's age, he locked himself in his room for a few days and refused to speak for over a month after that. I don't know what changed or who said anything to him, but something must have finally clicked."
"I wish I could say I couldn't imagine the pain," she said quietly.
"I heard a little bit about what happened to your village. My condolences."
She nodded, watching as Link neared the barn with what appeared to be the last of the stragglers. His smile had not faltered. "I'll find some way to get through it. I don't have much of a choice."
"Somethin' that always helped me was rememberin' that we all suffer, yet humanity has survived well enough for centuries. These tragedies won't be the end of the world. Just obstacles creating a new path."
Isha had no time to think through a reply before the sound of approaching hoofbeats stole their attention. Link waved as he approached.
"Got 'em all put up," he shouted as Epona shuffled to a stop at the edge of the pasture. "You're welcome, you lazy ass," he added with a pointed glance at his old friend.
Fado looked at Isha. "You'd think we would have raised him better than to curse in front of a lady," he said with a wink. Isha giggled.
"You should get to know the person you're talking about a little more, bud," Link swung open the pasture gate, Epona happily trotting through with little urging. "She'd make Bo blush."
Isha frowned, trying to recount when Link would have been at the receiving end of her temper. She'd been trying incredibly hard not to be a difficult traveling partner, and she felt they'd gotten along well so far. Isha could not recall a time he would have been at the receiving end of her explosive anger.
She had no opportunity to ask Link about it, though, as they were interrupted by a new male voice calling a greeting from further down the road.
A figure, large in both height and width, approached them at a surprising pace, his thick column-like legs carrying this beast of a man uphill as though he were gliding. His white, pointed mustache bounced comically with his steps, his eyes squinted tight against the setting sun behind them.
Link waved at the approaching figure. "Speak of the devil."
The man - who was introduced to Isha as the mayor of Ordon - immediately got to talking with Link about reinforcing a part of his fence, which an errant goat had busted down the other day. This had Fado slowly stepping away from the group, closing the pasture gate behind him as he made off for the barn. Isha wondered if the other two really didn't notice him, or didn't care enough to make him stay.
"Mayor, this is Isha. She's the one who freed the kids in Kakariko," Link gestured to his traveling partner, who gave a nervous smile.
Without a warning, Bo pulled her into a tight hug, his massive arms triggering her sore muscles. She forced herself not to complain.
"I cannot thank you enough," he said, finally releasing her. "I don't know what we would have done if we lost all of them."
"I'm… so sorry about Ilia," was all she could manage to say in response.
The older man gave her a kind smile. "You put your life on the line and gave them all hope. I wouldn't be surprised if she was already hiding somewhere, safe and sound." He clasped a large hand on her shoulder. "You'll bring her home. And we'll have another feast when she arrives!"
Link laughed at this. "Any excuse to pull out the best ale, am I right, sir?" They started back down the path towards the village, Link gesturing for Isha to follow.
Though her companion had assured her over and over not to worry about the eldest girl of Ordon, it was not until she heard it from Ilia's father himself that she finally felt a little bit of the guilty weight lift from her shoulders. Yes, she absolutely would bring that girl back home. And she'd make sure Ilia knew how to wield a bow or staff of her own before she left Ordon again.
The world needed more fearless fighters. From the way Bo spoke of his daughter, Isha found herself wishing she had saved the girl not just for her safety, but because she felt a kindred spirit within Ilia. Link's confidence reinforced this. Perhaps Ilia would be interested in traveling the world, too.
The trio finally stopped outside of the largest home in Ordon - the mayor's home and town meeting hall. Here, Link turned to Isha and handed her Epona's reins.
"I need to talk with Bo for a bit, if you don't mind," he said to her. "Could you take her to the spring to rest? She likes rolling around in the water after work."
Isha eyed the great beast that towered over them, dark eyes staring holes into her. She had never been a fan of larger animals, especially not after so many monster attacks. She had done well enough when Link had control of the mare, but doubted her own ability to keep the horse in check should it be startled or start to run wild.
Still, the young woman was not given much of a choice, and she wanted to clean up a bit before dinner, anyways. A long day of hard work and wandering through nature did not leave her looking her best. With a nod and a goodbye to the mayor, she led Epona back through the village and up the mountain road that led to the spring.
Isha hardly had any time to herself at Ordon's spring before she was surprised by the older women of the village bursting into the clearing. Each carried baskets with them, and their eyes immediately locked with hers.
"Oh, there you are!" Sera exclaimed, walking up and throwing an arm around the younger woman's shoulders. "You know, we really appreciated your help today."
"It was the least I could do," she blushed, surprised by the woman's friendliness. "You've all been so nice to me."
"We were wondering if you'd like to join us in getting ready for dinner tonight," Uli asked, her soft voice barely rising above the sound of gentle waves hitting the shore. "I wasn't sure if you cared for fixing your hair or makeup, but goddesses know Link has never touched a comb unless forced, and I wanted to at least offer." She held out one of her baskets to Isha.
The young archer could only stare, her mouth forming a small "o" in her shock. "I– That's so very kind, but– I couldn't possibly– That's too much," she stammered, her face growing hot despite the cool mountain breeze. "But…" despite herself, she accepted the basket, cosmetics catching her eye instantly. "I do really miss my makeup…"
The Ordanian women's eyes all lit up and they exchanged encouraging smiles. "Oh, come with us, you can borrow anything you like!" Pergie insisted, pushing her along towards the privacy barrier. "A woman should always have the chance to fix up for a party!"
Isha shook her head. It may have been a new village in an unknown land, but one thing remained common between Ordon and Kakariko: nothing livened up a sleepy village quite like a party.
She allowed the women to suggest tones for her blush, her eye makeup, her lipstick, and relished in the possibilities that lay before her. One of her guiltiest pleasures had been wasting makeup trying all sorts of looks as soon as her mother permitted her to wear it. In fact, a large majority of her teaching money for her first few years went to various cosmetic merchants, a choice that had cost her quite a few pounds as a drought struck the local farms and the price of fresh produce sky-rocketed.
Her weakness exposed to these women, they doted over her, expressing excitement for the day that young Beth would allow them to do the same for her. Isha smiled, recalling the young Ordanian girl still hiding out in Kakariko. She had lovely short dark hair and large eyes, her cheeks naturally flushed and lips out in a permanent childish pout. The girl would certainly be quite the canvas for any makeup artist, when she was ready.
With her makeup finished, the three women moved on to her hair, and discussion moved to the color.
"I always just loved light hair," Sera commented, running her hands through the tangled mess. "Ilia has the prettiest sandy hair you'd ever seen. Oh, pass me that bottle, will you?"
Isha passed over a small spray bottle and struggled to find words amidst the compliments. "I used to think the orange in it was from the canyon dirt," she offered lamely. "Tried scrubbing it out so many times as a kid, thinking I was still dirty. But, my mom had bright red hair, which I guess is where it comes from. But hers didn't have any blonde in it. It was like a blazing fire."
"Oh my, they say women born with red hair are the descendents of warriors, you know?" said Pergie. "Some long-forgotten race of warrior women were identified by their flaming hair."
Isha bit the inside of her cheek. "Ah, you're talking about the Gerudo," she said after a few moments. "To my knowledge, my lineage is Hylian for several generations back,and I don't think my mother would have made a good warrior," she said. "My ancestors supposedly came from far across the sea. But, my father was a soldier in the Hylian army."
The young woman hissed when Sera's comb caught a particularly nasty tangle in her hair, and the older woman offered an apologetic smile. She gripped the hair above the miserable mess and began picking the tangle apart, bit by bit.
Conversation shifted as the women shared what their lives were like at her age, and Isha was happy to fall into silence, happy to listen and learn about lives so different from her own.
Finally, Sera declared her hair finished. Pergie passed her mirror over to Isha. The Kakarikan woman had to admit that the others did an excellent job. Her hair was pulled back in a half-up, half-down style that swept her bangs back from her eyes. Her cheeks were brushed with a light dusting of red powder made of crushed flowers, the scars and imperfections in her skin hidden under a light concealer that matched her skin tone surprisingly well. She was passed a tube of berry-bright lipstick, which she carefully brushed across her lips.
More than anything, she was happiest to see her hair finally tamed, the frizz gone and split ends contained with an interesting oil that the women had rubbed into her hair, drying without a trace after a few moments. She admired how her hair shone in the poor forest light.
Pleased with her appearance, she smiled at the women. "Thank you, this really was incredibly kind of you."
Uli returned the smile, a bright and kind thing that made Isha's heart feel light. "Thanks to you, our village has hope for the future and a reason to smile tonight. We just want to repay the kindness you've given us."
Isha rubbed the back of her neck and looked away. "Come on, now," she said quietly. "Any warrior worth their salt would have done the same. But… I'm thankful that it led me to meet you all."
Small the village may have been, their idea of a party was truly grand.
A long table far too big for the meager gathering had been set up alongside the edge of the lake, in the shadow of Pergie's water wheel. Lights were strung along trees, sides of homes, signs, fences - whatever they could find to hang them on, really. The table itself was covered in a simple green cloth and absolutely smothered in plates of meat, soups, vegetables, fruits, and pastries.
The men had been hard at work while Isha and the women were at the spring.
Link met Isha at the entrance of the village, and laughed at her wide-eyed stare. "Yeah, they get carried away easily."
"I'm a little intimidated," she admitted as they joined the rest of the village at the table. Link's eyes were already sparkling at the sight of all the different foods.
The pair sat down between Hanch and Jaggle, Fado quickly taking a seat across from the Hero. Link wasted no time in removing a drumstick from a large roasted bird in front of them, accepting a mug of ale from Hanch with his other free hand.
Conversation flowed easily, as the villagers had plenty to talk about with Link and many a question to ask. Isha once more fell silent, happy to observe without notice and focus on the meal before her. She found the food to be decent, though she missed the flavor of Goron spice that was common in all meals prepared in her own hometown. Still, the mild flavor allowed for each individual meat profile to shine, and each vegetable tasted as fresh as the mountain air itself.
The ale most certainly stole the show. Apparently brewed in a larger settlement to the Southeast, the bold concoction carried a smell of oak and a sweet tinge she couldn't place. It went down smooth, the burning aftertaste an indication of its strength. She'd never been one to drink much, but as the night wore on and the ache of her losses ebbed away, she found the alcohol to be the highlight of the meal.
If it weren't for the memory of the clumsy performance of the drunk soldiers that attempted to rescue the children with her, Isha might have lost herself entirely in drink after drink. Still, she could not forget how those soldiers failed, and forced herself to slow down after her third mug-full.
The celebration carried on long into the wee hours of the morning, only ending when the ale supply ran low and the villagers begrudgingly recalled that a full day of work awaited them all the next day. With hugs and smiles, they all wished the pair of adventurers good night, refusing any assistance in cleaning up and insisting that the two get some rest.
Unlike Isha, Link had not paced his consumption nearly as well, and his usual uneven gait proved to be an issue as the path back home grew more steep. After tripping for a third time in only a few minutes, Isha couldn't stop herself from shooting him an annoyed look.
"Sorry," he grumbled sheepishly, steading himself against a tree. "I'll be fine if you just want to go on ahead."
"Unfortunately for us both, it's too dark and I have no clue where we are, and somebody didn't consider grabbing a lantern." She looped his arm over her shoulder and pulled him upright. Her muscles screamed against the sudden weight, but she grit her teeth and pushed forward. "I'm not even sure where we are right now, let alone where your house is."
"...Shit," he said, looking around. "We're almost to the spring. We missed the turn."
"You'll be 'just fine,' hm?" Isha groaned and moved to turn back. "New rule: no more than two drinks."
He did not move with her, much to her annoyance. "Wait, let's just keep going," he said. "It'll help me sober up."
Isha looked at the hero, fire blazing in her eyes as an argument rose in her throat. Link, not wanting to deal with an argumentative woman, quickly continued on. "You looked like you enjoyed yourself tonight."
His words were successful in side-tracking her, as she'd felt invisible for mostly the whole night and could not recall saying much directly to him. Still, he was right. It had been a bright spot in the nightmare her life had become. She allowed him to pull her along, keeping him steady as they continued up the trail.
"Yes, well… The villagers are quite lovely," she finally said.
"I think they liked you."
"I think they like that I saved their children."
"You sure are hard to please."
She laughed at his exasperation. "I find pleasure in getting a rise out of you."
The pair finally reached the spring, and Isha felt goosebumps on her skin. The waters were glowing in a similar manner to the cave in her hometown all those years ago, the scene around them like something from a fairytale. The trees shimmered in the unnatural light, making the forest around them appear as if bathed in daylight.
Isha stepped away from her inebriated friend and approached the spring with cautious steps. She neared the water's edge and dipped her hand beneath the surface. She marveled at how the light danced between her outstretched fingers as it traveled through the current her movements generated.
"Ordona's hanging around," Link mumbled, stepping into the shallows aside her and falling back onto his rear. He scooped up some water and splashed his face.
"Is that what this means?" she asked, following him into the water. She rested her arms on her knees and stared up towards the spring's upper pool as the water stripped her fatigue away. The spring felt unusually warm, and this time her soak seemed to be helping her sore muscles. Isha wondered if Ordona was incapable of maintaining power at the Spring in his absence.
Weak.
"Please don't curse this one to the ends of time," Link mumbled, as though reading her mind.
Isha gave him a strange look. "That's the second time you've said something like that. I don't recall saying such things in front of you…"
Link's eyes grew wide. Right, we were still in Twilight…
He wasn't incredibly eager to share the details of his transformation under the curtain of Twilight, especially since he didn't entirely understand it himself. Midna had also told him she had no interest in making her existence known to Isha. Since the young woman was not divinely protected against the unnatural world in the same way he was, he had hoped to avoid the subject entirely. Hoped it wouldn't matter.
"How long were you in Kakariko before you found us?" she pushed, churning through the memories in her head. No, her meltdown at Eldin's spring had definitely happened before he showed up. After the beasts had disappeared. Before the evening sun finally gave way to a normal day cycle once more.
"Before I found you, or before you found me?"
"What happened to my village?" she continued on. "Why did it happen just before you showed up? What were those creatures, what happened to the sun, and what part do you play in this?"
Her tone took a dangerous turn, one that snapped Link to awareness. He kept his face cool and met her glare. "Before you lose it, I had nothing to do with their appearance. I got sucked into all of this because of one of those. It… It's an incredibly long story, and truth be told it doesn't all make sense to me yet."
She leaned in, eyes narrowing as her gaze somehow grew even more intense. "Does it have to do with this 'legendary hero' business? What exactly does 'chosen by the gods' mean, anyways? What have you been chosen for, and why you?"
Her questions made his head spin, but Link couldn't blame her confusion. If they were to go on this journey to track down the person who commanded the shadow beasts, she should know what she might be getting into.
He held up his right hand, a mark Isha had hardly paid any mind to dark against the glow of the spring. "Supposedly, this is the sign of someone blessed with a piece of some sacred power. I just… thought it was some nonsense Rusl said to a curious kid who wouldn't shut up about his weird birthmark, and it never did much. Certainly meant nothing for my parents," he added bitterly. Isha scooted a bit closer to him, taking his hand in hers and looking at the mark. She ran a gentle finger along the triangular shape. Three triangles, one stacked atop two, in the shape of a larger triangle. She traced each piece in awe.
"This is real?" she breathed, her question catching him off guard. "You really didn't just… paint it on there? Like some prank?"
Link withdrew his hand, looking at her with a raised brow. "Are you saying you know something about this thing?"
Isha's jade eyes grew wide. "How- How do you not know? Link, I cannot– the Triforce is literally a symbol used in the Royal Family's crest, it's woven into…. into Hyrule's history." She could scarcely form her words, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Do you not know the creation myth?"
He wasn't sure whether to be offended or embarrassed. "If you haven't noticed, we don't exactly have a central place of worship," he replied through gritted teeth, moving to give her a playful shove. "We've got better things to do than stuff our noses in books and worry about myths, you know."
Isha intercepted his hand, though, and looked at the symbol once more. She mumbled to herself. "Sudden monster attacks. Great tragedies. A man called Blessed by the Gods, a natural-born swordsman..." her eyes rose to meet his. "And all those kids could talk about was how brave you were." She tapped the lower right triangle. "Others might say courageous."
He wasn't sure why, but her words made him uncomfortable. "I guess I might have to take a class or two from you sometime," he said.
Isha's face grew red, realizing she was once again getting carried away in myths and legends. Of course, these stories had to come from somewhere. And the older texts suggested that they were true tales, but more recent scholarly opinion had deemed them too unrealistic.
She dropped his hand and tucked hers into her lap. "I'm sorry," she finally said. "I've gotten us off track. So um… does this have something to do with you spying on me?"
"I wasn't– I mean, that wasn't my intention." He sighed at her glare. I suppose I should start from the beginning.
"So, the sun seemed to freeze in the sky, right?" Isha nodded, and Link continued. "That was the influence of what I can only describe as an invasive realm called the Twilight. I don't know where it came from, but it's not something of our world, and strange things happen to this world in its shadow. Normal people - people like you, the kids, your family, you don't notice when it moves in. It just… seems to happen, and those monsters inhabit that realm. When the Twilight Realm falls over ours, they hunt down those who live in our realm. It seems some people are transformed into new beasts and join their ranks, while others are just…. Slaughtered. Like they can't stand the world of Light."
Link did not miss her subtle wince. He waited a moment, considering his next words carefully. Midna had been adamant that nobody know anything about her, no matter the circumstances. Only he and Princess Zelda seemed to know of her existence.
"When the kids were taken, those monsters took them into the Twilight Realm. I chased after them, but was stopped by the wall separating Twilight from Light. While I stood there like a fool, one of those beasts reached through and pulled me in. That was when this mark lit up for the first time. It changed me, and it was… incredibly painful." He still wasn't over the sound of cracking bone and popping muscles.
"I passed out, and then woke up in the dungeons of Hyrule Castle, stuck as a wolf. I fought my way out, tried to go back home, and couldn't. I was stuck in that form. I found the light spirit Faron, was sent on a task to restore his light, which restores their strength and allows them to push back the Twilight. Then he sent me to Kakariko, to do the same for Eldin."
He expected her to look at him strangely, or call him a monster. After all, his short bout in the world of Light as a wolf showed him just how terrifying the situation really was. Normal people couldn't possibly understand what was going on. The more he talked, the more Link felt he sounded like a madman.
The look he received from Isha was not one of anger or disgust, however. It was pity. "Some blessing you've been given. Running errands and saving the realms for the spirits who are supposed to protect them on their own. But… I still don't understand, I don't recall seeing a wolf anywhere, and that's not exactly a usual sight in Kakariko."
"You wouldn't have. I can't explain why, but even though I can hear and see you, I remain completely invisible to anyone else. Everyone else just continues on in the Twilight, and they appear like spirits to me. I can't speak in that form anyways, but I might as well not exist at all."
"And you decided to waste your valuable time following strangers around?"
He gave her a strange look. "You looked horribly injured and you were wandering around a dangerous area. After seeing everything I just… couldn't stand thinking about any more harm coming to whoever had survived."
"And you heard exactly how much of my… conversation with Eldin?"
"Enough to see that you had a death wish."
This new information swirled about her mind, threatening to drown her in the chaos. Isha leaned forward, her elbows resting on her curled-up knees. She had run out of questions, run out of anything to keep conversation moving and prevent her from thinking too hard through it all. She begged her mind to be silent. "Gods, this is so much. How do you do it? How do you cope with that responsibility?"
Link gave it some thought before replying. "I just… handle it like I do anything else. I bear it and move forwards. I don't have much of a choice. If I don't stand and fight for those who can't, then who will?"
His words resonated with her. "Me," she surprised herself with the swiftness of her reply. "I will fight."
The smile he gave her made her heart feel light. Not just from the kindness, but from the look of understanding he had in his shining blue eyes. Link held his hand out towards her. "We'll fight together."
Despite the overwhelming conversation, Isha returned his smile and took his hand firmly in hers. "And maybe not with each other."
The two shared a moment of laughter as the weight of their conversation faded into the night. Isha moved to say more, but was interrupted by a blinding flash of light striking through the air around them, demanding their attention. Isha jumped to her feet and took several steps back.
As the light faded and their eyes adjusted, the pair beheld a large, golden goat with an unusually long tail coiled around an orb of light floating above the pool they stood within.
"Welcome to my spring, Blessed of Eldin," the beast bellowed, his deep metallic eyes turned directly upon her.
"At least you bother to show up in your true form," she responded, giving a mocking bow. She could hear Link's sigh, even from several feet away. "Thank you for having me, Spirit of Ordon," she added for good measure.
"Your presence here has been a light to my people," his voice echoed throughout the forest around them. "As a token of my gratitude, I have a blessing to offer."
Suspended in the air between her and the Light Spirit was a small golden sprite not unlike the one she'd reached out and grabbed on her sixteenth birthday. Her hand twitched at her side, that invisible force once again beckoning for her to reach out. Again her hand was pulled forwards, her palm open to receive the light sprite. With a fizzle, it darted into her hand with a much more gentle touch than the one that she had received at Eldin's spring. Her hand shone once more, that familiar warmth surrounding her fingers for a few brief moments.
"Why?" she asked softly as the light and warmth faded. "Why this again? Just for being nice? What does this mean?"
The adventurers couldn't explain how, but the being without a mouth smiled. "Your path is grand, your tests will be many. Should you overcome your trials, your true spirit will awaken and a great destiny will be yours to take. Seek counsel from the Light Spirits Lanayru and Faron, and your way will be made clear."
Isha's head whirled, her heartbeat echoing in her ears. So the stories were true, to some extent. This happening a second time was no mere coincidence, no trick of the light. Ordona spoke with far more clarity than Eldin. Her old flame for wild adventure began to spark within her chest.
Me? She wanted to shout. What did these trials entail? Why was this foreign spirit speaking to her now? How had she gone from losing everything to standing in a sacred spring with an immortal Light Spirit and a man divinely blessed by the Gods? She could not find the words to ask.
Ordona's head suddenly snapped up, eyes fixated towards the north. "Beware," his voice took a grave turn as the light in the spring began to fade. The word made her insides turn to ice.
"Horrible beasts have entered the forest, and they are searching for you."
Isha did not wait to see what Link would do, did not wait to question how or why any of this involved her. Fear gripping her heart at the similarity of her last meeting with a Light Spirit, Isha broke into a run, grabbing her bow that she'd left on the shore and turning not back towards Link's house, but instead to Faron Woods.
Not this again.
She vaguely registered him calling after her, telling her to wait for him, but she could not stop. It might be best that he was behind her, should she fail. These monsters would not reach the Ordona province at all. She would not give them a chance to terrorize this beautiful village again. She would not fail anymore. If they were after her or Link, they would lead the monsters far away from here.
So fixed were her eyes upon the road in front of her that she did not notice the beating of leathery wings high above her, tracking her movements through the woods. Her feet hit the suspension bridge across Faron Gap, eyes scanning the opposite cliff tops for any threats Her hands ached from the tight grip she held on her bow.
A screech sounded from above her, a shrill cry of bloodthirst pulling dark memories of her father's death to the surface of her mind. She slid to a stop, the wooden bridge groaning when she dug in her heels and spun around, an arrow pointed high in the sky as she scanned for the glowing red eyes of the monstrous bird.
She barely had time to draw back the string when a force barreled into her side at inhuman speeds, knocking her off balance. For all her tight grip, her bow flew from her hands from the impact. She grasped wildly, reaching only thin air as it arced out of reach and over the edge of the bridge. It disappeared within the fog below, leaving her defenseless as the large bird pivoted mid-air and fixated its disgusting gaze on her once more.
Blood trickled down its leathery face from an arrow lodged deep in its skull, yet the beast still moved with terrifying speed. It dove for her again, talons outstretched and sharp beak spread wide in a chilling victory cry. It knew she was helpless.
Isha looked back at the Ordona side of the bridge, where a blur of green was fast approaching from within the trees. She reached her hand forward, willing the hero to move faster, to get her away from the creature that haunted her nightmares before she joined her parents in a tragic end.
"Please…!" her scream rattled the mountains around them as she reached out for her friend - the man who was supposed to be a hero.
Link's feet carried him down the all-too-familiar path, heart pounding as memories of chasing after the children reminded him that he was too slow, too slow, too slow. He tried whistling for Epona's attention, praying to every god above that she somehow heard the breathy, pathetic sound he managed between heaving breaths of sharp, cold air.
He reached the bridge, flying forward as he closed the gap between him and Isha. A winged shape was fast approaching from his right, but he kept his eyes on her outstretched hand, barely a foot away from his. He would not fail, could not fail.
In the space between breaths, the monstrous kargarok extended its legs, talons flashing as they snapped closed around the young girl's body, her cry of pain drowned out by the beast's thumping wings. Link's outstretched hand brushed her fingertips before she was ripped into the sky, a hole left in the bridge where the bird's talons dug in. Bloodstains were splattered on the splintered remains.
In a final act of desperation, Link called for his boomerang from Midna, who kept all of his equipment at the ready for him. He prayed to the Fairy of Winds that dwelled within the boomerang and threw it with all his might. A swirling gale wrapped around the tips of the boomerang, carrying it swiftly after the monster..
Another, smaller kargarok shot up from the dark canopy, diving directly into the windstorm and knocking the boomerang away from the larger beast. The weapon returned to Link, who let it drop to the ground as he stared on in desperation.
Epona's hoofbeats reached Link's ears in the silence, quickly approaching from the trees. He shouted his praise to his mount as she drew near, grabbing onto her saddle and swinging himself up onto her back.
"Gods, you're such a damn good horse," he shouted through gritted teeth.
At his side, a shadowy imp sprung up from the ground, her one visible eye glowing with irritation.
"Link, stop," Midna begged him, her voice clear above the rushing wind. "You can't possibly hope to catch her, and you need to rest before we go fight anything else."
The hero did not react other than spurring Epona faster, eyes fixated on the dark sky. The kargarok was quickly fading from view.
"Link," Midna tried again, yanking on his arm. "Give it up, she's gone."
Link brushed her away. "You wanted me to get a move on, anyways," he hissed.
Midna returned to his shadow in a huff, knowing he was beyond reason. He had that look in his eyes again.
The hero spurred Epona down through the mountains, his eyes scanning the dark sky above for any sign of the great bird or any flash of bright hair in the moonlight. Even as he lost sight thanks to the thick tree cover, he could still hear the thunderous flap of its massive wings, carrying away his friend.
He and Epona finally cleared the north side of Faron Woods, her hoofbeats steady as she carried Link out into Hyrule Field. The kidnapping bird was gaining distance now, its body growing smaller and smaller as it took off directly for the curtain of Twilight that still enveloped central Hyrule.
Link continued his chase throughout the remainder of the night, the sky above changing from deep indigo to gray to brilliant orange with the rising sun. The hero hardly noticed the time passing, his eyes fixated on the curtain of Twilight that loomed ahead. The beast had already disappeared within, much to his frustration. He would have to continue his chase on four legs, once he reached the barrier.
It was mid-morning by the time he reached the barrier. As he drew close, the light faded around him and Epona refused to go further. The mare was soaked and heaving from desperate gallop, having covered the distance in a near unnatural amount of time.
"Thank you," the Hero breathed as he dismounted, throwing her reins into the dirt. The strange aura of Twilight buzzed around them. Epona was eager to leave her master behind at the dreaded wall.
Midna's head appeared from his shadow, though she did not leap out as she normally would. "Oh, now you'd like to speak to me?" she snapped when she noticed his sour look.
"We don't have time for this," he growled.
The imp sighed and pulled herself up. "You know you won't be able to return for a while if you re-enter the Twilight again, right?"
He felt her question was unnecessary, and the disapproving look he gave told her as much. She chuckled. "You know, this might be the last of the Twilight that covers your land. Bit of a shame you're so eager to clear it, I was growing fond of the way Hyrule looked under its influence," she added, eyes glowing in the darkness with an emotion he couldn't place.
"Midna, we don't–"
"I heard you the first time," she reached out and flicked his nose, a gesture that hurt more than Link was willing to let on. "You'd better brace yourself for whatever awaits us when we do find her," she added in a softer tone, moving towards the barrier. "Those talons can pierce bone."