To Capture the Heart of a Hero
Chapter 32 – Seeing the Sights
Zelda spent a few blissful moments in privacy, making sure that she was properly composed once more. She reminded herself that she really needed to not let Ilia get under her skin so much. Especially when the girl wasn't doing it intentionally. Or doing anything wrong for that matter. This was Zelda's personal issue, after all.
Heaving a small sigh, the Princess soon made her way back down the stairs and into the den of the Mayor's home. There she found Bo, reclining comfortably in a chair.
"Um, I believe that you said that someone was here to see me?" she asked hesitantly.
Bo nodded and gave her an encouraging smile. "He's waiting outside," he said, pointing towards the door.
"I see," Zelda replied with a nod. Wasting no time, she made her way outside. By this point, she had a feeling that she knew the identity of the one who awaited her.
Sure enough, Zelda walked out onto the front porch to find Link standing there. As soon as he spotted her, he gave her a friendly smile. Zelda went to return his smile, but quickly paused as soon as she noticed Ilia standing next to him. Of course she had stepped outside to see him as well. Zelda just felt her lips twitch in annoyance.
Still, Link's bright expression was enough to keep her calm. She soon approached him with a curious look. "Bo just told me that someone was here to see me. I take it that he was referring to you?"
"That's right," Link said with a grin. "You're finished settling in, right?"
"More or less," Zelda said with a shrug. "Why do you ask?"
"I'm here to fulfill a promise," he said confidently. "If you have some free time, would you like to take a walk around the village? I'd be more than happy to show you around."
Zelda blinked. In all of the commotion of the morning, she had almost forgotten that Link had agreed to this weeks ago. She slowly smiled. "Yes, that would be lovely."
"Great," Link said with another grin. He then turned to Ilia. "You'll come along too, won't you?"
Zelda's smile faltered. This wasn't what she had wanted! However, to her surprise, Ilia soon giggled before playfully squeezing Link's arm.
"Oh, Link, you know that I can't do that."
Link just gave the girl a confused look, but soon understood. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that."
Meanwhile, Zelda just carefully tried to process this development, all while a wave of relief washed over her. "You won't be joining us?" she asked, trying her best to hide the elation in her tone.
Ilia smiled before shaking her head. "Sorry Princess, but I'm afraid that I have to step out and take care of some things this afternoon. But don't worry, the two of us can spend some time together later, yeah?"
"Sure, that's no problem," Zelda said, feeling a bit more relieved. She didn't particularly want to spend time with Ilia later, but hearing that she would have an afternoon free of her presence certainly sounded nice.
"Thanks for understanding," Ilia said with a bow.
"If you don't mind me asking, where do you have to be?" Zelda asked politely. It wasn't that the Princess particularly cared where the girl was disappearing to, but she was rather curious to discover what prior obligation she should be owing her thanks to. After all, it would be ridding her of the girl's unwelcome presence for a while.
Ilia smiled, suddenly looking both proud and confident. "I'll be with the rest of the women, cooking tonight's meal. We're planning to host a huge feast right here in the middle of the village."
Zelda blinked, not having expected to hear this. "Oh, you know how to cook?"
Ilia gave her a blank stare before she suddenly burst into laughter, as if Zelda had just asked some ridiculous question. "Why, of course, Princess. Every woman in Ordon knows how! It's part of being a good homemaker."
Zelda just frowned, feeling positively dumbstruck by this. A good homemaker? Is that what Ilia was? Suddenly, Zelda began to see a new side of her. She was more than just a kind, sweet girl that knew some medicine and also looked after the horses. She was also someone that could cook, clean, and keep a house in order. In retrospect, this revelation almost seemed kind of obvious. Ilia and Bo were the only ones living in their home, so it made sense that Ilia would become the caretaker, being the sole woman in the house and all.
As she dwelled on these thoughts, Zelda couldn't help but suddenly feel a little insecure. Here was yet another skillset that made Ilia desirable. Another attribute that would make her an appealing choice to become someone's potential future wife.
And what was Zelda compared to that?
The Princess nervously bit her lip a bit. Surprisingly enough, Zelda was actually capable of cooking a few meals, but they were meals that were usually best consumed while on the road. They were foods that were quickly thrown together and really only useful for tiding someone over as they traveled. The meals weren't exactly healthy or hearty, or even tasty for that matter. They were just "substance" that served one purpose and one purpose only, which was hardly anything to write home about…
Still, Zelda knew that this comparison wasn't quite fair. As a Princess, she had much larger responsibilities than cooking warm meals. She had to manage an entire Kingdom. Appease numerous diplomats. Ensure the safety and wellbeing of countless citizens. Keep track of the courts and the legislation and the recovery effort and on and on the list went.
But still, Zelda couldn't help but wonder if any of that stuff really mattered. Not when she was about as far from being a good homemaker as you could possibly be. When it came to surpassing Ilia, she wasn't even close…
Before long, the voice of her conscience resurfaced, drifting to the front of her mind in order to chastise her once again. Oh, Zelda, you lovestruck fool. Stop comparing yourself to her. It's not as if the two of you are competing for Link's love. And even if you were, has he not already made his choice clear?
Zelda just inwardly cursed. Sometimes she really hated how rational her mind was. If only because it seemed to be arguing against everything that her heart believed in.
Clearing her thoughts, Zelda soon glanced back up to find that Link and Ilia had turned their attention to one another. Fortunately, neither one of them seemed to have noticed that the Princess had been lost in thought for more than a few seconds there.
Ilia smiled up at Link. "I better get going. I'll see you again later, okay?" She then leaned in and gave him a small kiss on the cheek.
Link smiled back. "Yeah, see you later," he said sweetly.
Zelda just stood there, stunned and wide-eyed. Her mind had gone blank. She honestly didn't know what to think anymore. The only thing that she did know was that she certainly didn't enjoy having to witness that, and she hoped that she would never have to do so again.
Ilia soon turned to Zelda with a smile and a wave. "Have fun, Princess! I'll see you later."
Zelda just mindlessly waved back. "Yes, farewell Ilia."
The girl produced one final grin before playfully running off, heading in the direction of another home. Zelda just felt her shoulders slump a bit as she watched her go. She was finally free of the girl once again, but for some reason, she still didn't feel any better about it. Ilia's depressing words and actions were still weighing on the Princess's mind.
"So, what do you think?" Link soon asked, pulling her attention back to him.
"Hmm?" she mumbled. "About what?"
"Ilia," Link said with a proud smile. "Have the two of you been getting along?"
Zelda blinked in surprise, but quickly managed to put together a believable smile. "Oh, um, yes. She's pretty much exactly as you described her."
Link smiled some more, not wise enough to see through her charade. "I'm glad to hear that. I had a feeling that the two of you would hit it off."
Zelda did her best to hold back a glare. Her and Ilia, hitting it off? What kind of fantasy world was he living in? Oh, if only he knew the truth of the matter; not that Zelda would ever let him know, of course. Once again, she simply reminded herself that it was best to keep such things a secret.
"Anyway," Zelda continued, desperately hoping to change topics, "how about that tour? I'm ready to see everything that this lovely little village has to offer."
Link just grinned with pride once again. As expected, he was excited to begin showing her around. "Come on then. There's a lot to see!"
For the first time in recent memory, Zelda produced a genuine smile. She soon followed after him, just as excited to begin exploring.
Link began by showing her some of the wooden houses, each one a distinct structure with its own personality. Some were large and grand. Others were small but cozy. However, the most impressive residence by far was the one that had been fashioned out of a tree. Zelda just gawked as she looked it over from top to bottom.
"How did someone manage to make this?" she asked.
Link laughed a bit. "Believe it or not, it was already hollow before it was turned into a home. Nobody knows why that was the case, but it has still managed to become a sturdy residence."
"Very impressive," Zelda said with a nod.
Link then showed her the pond at the southern end of the village. To Zelda's surprise, the water here was rather clear, almost as clean as the water in Zora's Domain. Glancing down inside, Zelda could nearly see all the way to the bottom.
"The water is so clear because it runs directly from Ordon Spring," Link explained. "This means that we always have a clean supply to drink from."
"I see," Zelda replied. "I take it that you like to go fishing here?"
Link nodded. "I do, actually. How did you know?"
Zelda smirked, glancing down at the numerous fish that could be seen swimming in the depths. "Just a feeling."
The next sight they visited was a pumpkin patch. As Link had warned her, it was basically just a field of dirt with a few pumpkins growing in it, but Zelda was still impressed by it. She soon smiled as she knelt down next to one of the large orange fruits.
"Goodness, I didn't realize that they could get this big," she noted.
"You're telling me," Link replied with a smile. "I think it has something to do with the soil here. It's full of nutrients, so we almost always end up with a bountiful harvest."
"And how do they taste?"
"Amazing," Link promised her. "You'll see tonight at the feast. You can expect to dine on more than a few dishes with pumpkin in them."
Zelda brightly smiled. "I look forward to that."
Moving along, Link led Zelda over to one of the fenced-in yards that held a few goats within. The large but lazy animals just stared at the ground as they continued to graze.
"Have you ever seen a goat before?" Link asked.
"Yes, but never this close," Zelda admitted.
Link grinned. "Do you want to pet one?"
Zelda just raised her eyebrows. "Is that allowed?"
"Of course, they're pretty docile," Link assured her. He then stuck two fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly. Most of the goats just ignored his call, but one did look up and soon wandered over to the fence.
Zelda just eyed the creature, suddenly feeling a little cautious. She hadn't expected it to be this large once it was up close. "It won't bite, will it?" she asked timidly.
Link just laughed. "You? No. But you might want to make sure to keep your dress back. They'll chew on just about anything that catches their interest."
Zelda gulped as she used one hand to bundle up the folds of her dress. "Duly noted."
Link then smiled before reaching over and scratching the creature behind its large, pointed ears. "Go ahead," he invited her.
Zelda was still a bit hesitant, but she soon reached out and gently patted the back of the goat's neck. She was rather impressed by just how soft its bluish-gray fur was. As she continued to stroke it, the goat suddenly lifted its head and released a cheerful bleat.
Zelda immediately giggled. "I didn't think that these animals would be so friendly."
"Yeah, they're not afraid of people," Link explained. "They share a peaceful existence in Ordon alongside us."
Zelda smiled some more as she continued to pet its soft fur. "They're actually kind of cute."
Upon hearing this, Link just laughed a bit. "Cute? You really think so?"
Zelda quickly frowned, feeling taken aback by his reaction. "Er…yes, don't you?"
Link chuckled some more as he shook his head. "The thought has never crossed my mind. Honestly, I don't think I've ever heard someone call them cute before. If anyone, maybe the kids have."
Zelda soon began blushing out of embarrassment. She meant what she had said, but she didn't realize that she would be alone in that sentiment. She soon looked away, hoping that Link wasn't starting to think that she was some sort of naive child.
Eventually, they moved on to their next stop, a store at the edge of town known as "Sera's Sundries". The shop's owner, a woman by the name of Sera, wasn't around as she was off with the other women, helping prepare tonight's meal. Fortunately, her short and scrawny husband, Hanch, was manning the shop in her place. Zelda took some time to look over the wares that were available. The store itself was rather small, and only offered a limited array of items, but she soon managed to find something that caught her fancy. It was a jar of honey, labeled as one of Ordon's specialties. The Princess gladly purchased it, and then departed the shop so that she could safely store it in one of their wagons. Zelda planned to take it back to the castle and offer some to her father. She hoped that it might help his condition, or at the very least, brighten his day.
Once the jar of honey was safely stored away, Zelda turned to Link with a smile. "This place is rather amazing. Thank you for showing me around."
Link happily returned her smile. "Yeah, no problem."
She then paused as a curious smirk appeared on her lips. "However, there is one location that we still have yet to visit. One that I have been eagerly looking forward to viewing."
Link just blinked, looking a little curious himself. "Er…And what's that?"
Zelda smirked some more. "Your home, of course."
Link seemed a bit surprised at this. "You want to see my house?"
"Of course," Zelda replied. "We haven't come across it yet, have we?"
Link shook his head. "No, it's on the edge of town."
"Is it all right if I take a look?" Zelda asked politely.
Link soon smiled. "Sure, but don't expect things to be too neat and tidy. I wasn't exactly expecting company when I left home."
"I won't," Zelda promised. Link then began leading her over to the edge of the village. Zelda just cheerfully followed along behind him, eager to see more of his lifestyle outside of the castle. Eager to learn more about his background.
Within a few minutes, they arrived at an open yard that housed a large tree towards the back. Built on a ledge in front of the tree was a rustic yet grand looking home. Like many of the other residences in Ordon, it too was fashioned completely out of wood, in addition to being covered in moss and other greenery. A single ladder rested at the front, leading up to the ledge where the home's front door stood.
Zelda just took a second to marvel at it. It was far bigger than she would have imagined. "Goodness, Link, this is your home?"
Link grinned. "That's right. I've lived here all my life."
Zelda soon began to circle the tree, trying to get a better look at the structure. "Is this like the other home that we witnessed before? Has this one been fashioned out of a tree as well?"
Link laughed at this. "Not quite. The tree is so large that it managed to serve as the base, but the house itself was simply constructed on top of it. I do have a basement that delves down into the hollow part of the tree though, so it's not completely standalone."
"Fascinating," Zelda breathed. As she continued to admire it, she could start to understand how a place like this could be a fitting home for a Hero. The house itself looked almost fantastical, as if it suitably belonged to someone with an adventurous spirit. It was no wonder that the person who lived here ended up taking up a sword and fighting to save his Kingdom.
"Want to see inside?" Link invited her as he approached the ladder.
Zelda just gave a cheerful nod. "Yes please."
Link climbed the short ladder that led up onto the ledge. Zelda soon followed him, moving carefully in order to keep her balance. As she neared the top, she was surprised to see Link standing there, offering her a hand.
"Watch your step," he said with a smile.
Zelda instantly blushed before looking away. It always caught her off-guard whenever he started being sweet like this. "Thank you," she mumbled before taking his hand.
A moment later, Link gave a gentle tug and helped pull Zelda onto the ledge. Once the ground was firmly beneath her feet, he gladly showed her to the door.
Upon stepping inside, Zelda was once again impressed by what she saw. The place was large, spacious, and cozy. A big rug covered most of the wooden floor. Off to the side, there was a stove built into the wall. Numerous shelves and cabinets lined the interior, each one containing various pottery and dinnerware, as well as old knickknacks and keepsakes. There were other pieces of rustic furniture as well: a bookshelf, a small dining table, and an unmade bed. Last but not least was the most eye-catching thing that rested in the home, the few tapestries that hung on the walls from above. There was a reddish-orange one with an ornate design that was particularly appealing to look at.
As promised, there was plenty of clutter to be found as well. Numerous crates and barrels were shoved away into corners. A few pieces of firewood sat near the stove, hardly stacked at all. A bucket rested on the floor, as did more than a few pieces of clothing. This was a home that felt very much lived in.
As soon as Link spotted his clothes on the floor, he quickly kicked them under his bed, hiding them from sight. Zelda just giggled a bit as she watched him.
"Well, what do you think?" he asked, gesturing around. "I mean, it's no castle, but it works for me."
Zelda gave him a warm smile. "I think it's marvelous, Link. This might be the most impressive home we've visited today. Even more so than the Mayor's."
Link laughed. "You think so?"
Zelda nodded. "I'm surprised at how large and spacious it is. And it has a lot of personality as well."
"Personality?" Link repeated. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that it reminds me of you," Zelda said with a smirk.
"Ah, of course," Link said, playfully rolling his eyes.
Zelda just smirked some more as she glanced around the room. She soon spotted some framed pictures nearby. One was of a smiling goat, which in Zelda's eyes, still looked as cute as ever. The next one was of Fado, a man that Zelda had met earlier who was said to have run the ranch where Link occasionally helped out. And last but not least was a picture of the "Princess of Ordon" herself, Ilia.
Zelda just frowned. She didn't care to see this girl's smiling face and beautiful eyes. Not right now.
She soon tore her gaze away from the frames, only to notice a ladder off to the side of the door. Her eyes followed it upwards, and she soon spotted a small landing, which subsequently led to another ladder and a final floor at the very top of the house. Zelda just eyed that spot for a moment, her expression growing curious.
"What's up there?" she asked.
Link followed her line of sight, and soon smiled. "Would you like to see?"
She smiled as well before nodding. Link soon led the way up the ladders, offering Zelda a helping hand once she reached the top of both. They ended up arriving at the topmost landing, one that looked out over the rest of the home below it. Zelda took a second to admire the view, but her attention was soon pulled away as Link beckoned her to join him at the other end. Glancing over, she spotted a single window that gazed outside.
"You're going to want to take a look at this," he said with a grin. He then stepped out of the way and gestured to the window.
Zelda gave him a curious look but soon did as she was told. She stepped right up to the window and peered outside. She then gasped at the sight she saw before her.
It was a magnificent view. From this spot, Zelda was able to gaze out over the valley that Ordon Village rested in. She wasn't able to see everything, but she could easily spot the tops of the houses, as well as the waterwheel. She was also able to observe the sea of trees that spread out before her. Each one stretched upwards, using their luscious branches to poke into the beautiful blue canvas that was the sky. Before long, a gentle breeze blew through the open air, carrying a few leaves and the fresh smell of pine along with it.
Zelda just took a second to gently brush some of her hair back behind her ear. "Wow…" she breathed.
Link grinned at her reaction. "Pretty cool, right?"
Zelda slowly nodded. "It's not as impressive as Kakariko's watchtower, but this is still quite the view. To think that you can see for miles from up here."
"And there's nothing but nature in every direction," Link added. "Sometimes I like to come up here at sunrise and sunset to relax. That's when the sky turns into these beautiful shades of pink and orange."
Zelda closed her eyes, easily imagining the scene that he was describing. "That sounds lovely."
"It really is," he agreed.
After a moment, Zelda reopened her eyes and turned to the Hero with a heartfelt smile. "I must say, Link, you have a wonderful home. And I don't just mean this house. I am referring to all of Ordon Village as well."
Link just softly gazed back at her with his deep blue eyes. Before long, a grateful smile appeared on his lips. "Thanks Zelda. That means a lot to me, really."
Zelda just confidently met his gaze head-on. Previously, she might have felt inclined to look away whenever their eyes made contact with one another, but not this time. This time, she was happy to stare right back into his eyes and appreciate this moment with him. It honestly reminded Zelda of a more peaceful time when things weren't so complicated between them. Or at least, complicated from her side of things. She almost longed for the days when she wasn't plagued by such constant heartache.
However, their eye contact soon broke, as a loud, beckoning voice suddenly rang out through the air.
"HEEEEEEYYYYY!"
Link and Zelda just blinked, giving each other confused looks before turning back to the window. The voice had come from outside.
"Liiiiink!" the voice continued. "Are you in there?"
Link soon sighed. It hadn't taken long for him to recognize who the voice belonged to. He turned to Zelda with an apologetic expression. "Would you excuse me for a moment?"
"Of course," she replied, still looking lost. She then watched as Link approached the window and stuck his head outside.
"I'm up here, Fado," he announced.
Upon hearing the name, Zelda quickly recognized it. It belonged to the man who was pictured in one of Link's photographs. She recalled that he was a tall, lanky guy whom Bo claimed was in charge of running the goat ranch at the other end of town. She wondered what he was doing here, and why his voice sounded so desperate.
"Oh, good," the voice of Fado came back. "Hanch said that I might be able to find you here."
Link frowned a bit. "Do you need something?"
"Well, yeah, actually," Fado replied, this time sounding a little guilt-ridden. "If you have a minute, can you come over to the ranch and help me herd some of the goats into the barn? There's a few of them that need to be milked, but they're being very stubborn about leaving the field today."
Link soon sighed, letting his shoulders slump a bit. "I see…"
"Sorry, Link," Fado continued. "I know that you're technically here on some fancy official 'castle business', but I just figured if you have a second…"
Link shook his head before conjuring a smile. "No, it's fine," he assured the man. "I'll grab Epona and then I'll be right over."
"Aw, thanks Link! You're a lifesaver!"
Link just shook his head some more before waving him off. He then retreated back into his house before facing Zelda again.
She just offered him a meager smile. "I guess a Hero's work is never done, huh?"
Link couldn't help but smile back. "More like a ranch hand's work is never done. I better go and see what I can do to help."
"Do you mind if I come along?" Zelda suddenly asked, surprising herself almost as much as she surprised the Hero.
"You want to come and watch me herd the goats?" Link asked with raised eyebrows. "I can't exactly promise that it will be exciting stuff."
Zelda gave him an encouraging smile. "Nonsense. I for one would love to get a firsthand look at your well-refined goat-herding skills."
Link just gave her a blank stare before laughing a bit. "Wow, you really do have a way with words. Are you able to make anything sound as elegant as that?"
Zelda just smirked. She knew what he was saying. When the words came from her own lips, she could make something as mundane as goat-herding sound positively fascinating.
"It's all part of being a Princess," she replied smoothly.
"It must be," Link agreed with a laugh. "Because I've never seen anyone pull it off quite as well as you."
Zelda's cheeks threatened to redden at this compliment, but she managed to stay strong and keep herself under control. "Oh, you flatter me," she said, still smirking.
Link just smiled before walking back towards the ladder. "Well, come along then. I'll show you the greatest goat-herding skills in all the Kingdom."
Zelda released a giggle of her own. "I'm looking forward to it."
I've decided that Zelda doing anything in Ordon is my favorite thing ever, so please enjoy Zelda doing lots of things in Ordon.
Also, I hope you guys don't mind if we are here for a LOOOOONG time lol. I originally came up with so many fun ideas for Zelda's visit to Ordon, and of course, I just had to include them all. So please get cozy and expect to be here for a while. It's going to be a good time :)
