Word count: 2,080

The original from 2012-2015

Chapter 42 (originally part of chapter 32)

Ordon Impasse: Colin's POV

Colin felt as though his life were passing him by. After having met someone as wonderful and beautiful as Elga, he was seriously contemplating why he was still living in Ordon Village. He was a young vigorous eighteen year old man, about to be nineteen, and it seemed... what good did complaining about life do right now? He was going to join the army soon and there was a crisis currently at hand. Colin was currently helping his mother and little sister load the wagon with the last of their goods. His father Rusl was busy prepping everyone else in the village for safe passage to the underground keep at the castle. The Ordonians were the last to receive notice on the evacuation due to their province being the farthest away from Hyrule Castle. Colin tightened the ropes harnessed to the oxen and helped his mother on board. His sister jumped onto the wagon and settled herself in the back. Colin then led them out of the square to the impasse where everyone was meeting. From his vantage point, he saw Ilia, Beth and her family packed up and ready to go, but he saw no sign of Talo, Malo, and their parents.

He sighed at this realization.

Now is not the time to play hide and seek,Colin thought then turned to his mother.

"I'll be right back," he said to her, "I want to check on the others."

Uli nodded, but carried a worried look on her face.

"Hurry with that son," she said, "we have to push off soon."

Colin nodded at his mother's response, then headed back into the village. He quickly skimmed the area and saw Talo helping his father pull their overloaded wagon toward the bridge in the center of the village. Colin raised a brow at the sight, realizing immediately what the problem was: they simply had too many goods on their wagon. Some of that stuff was going to need to stay here. Colin went over to help Talo and his father with the harness.

"Did you pack the entire house?" he asked, trying to make light of his question though he was dead serious. Colin heaved with all his might to hoist the remaning weight onto the wagon.

Talo rolled his eyes and nodded toward his mother who was stationed already in the back.

"Just about!" he said upset. "I told her this was a stupid idea!"

Talo's mother shot him a dirty look.

"Will you stop complaining!" she snapped. "We have to hurry!"

Colin grunted.

That's easy for you to say,he thought feeling a slight burn in his hands from the pull,you're sitting peacefully while the rest of your family is packing your entire house.

Colin couldn't imagine that there would be any room in Hyrule Castle for such excessive belongings.

Talo's father then shook his head fed up and let the rope go.

"We have to let some of this stuff off the wagon," he said, "there is no way we'll make it to the castle in a reasonable amount of time. We're going to hold everyone back."

Talo's mother shook her head no.

"Absolutely not!" she retorted. "I have antiques here!"

Colin took in a deep breath and turned to look at her.

"With all due respect ma'am," he started, "you have to unload some of this stuff, the whole group will be stalled if you don't."

Talo's mother narrowed her eyes at Colin.

"You used to be so much more respectful, I don't know what happened to you," she replied, "if it pleases you, can go ahead of us," she added dramatically, "we'll get to Hyrule when we get to Hyrule."

Colin groaned.

This is ridiculous,he thought, and was about to protest when Talo beat him to it.

"Mother I understand that you don't want to leave anything behind," he started, "but if you want all this stuff you're going to have to pull it yourself."

Talo's mother looked at him shocked.

"How dare you speak-" she tried.

"It's your choice," Talo interrupted, stating it firmly, "we've already wasted enough time as it is."

Talo's mother closed her mouth and looked at her husband shocked.

"Dear…" she trailed expecting him to cave in, "are you going to allow him to talk to me like that?"

Talo's father stood his ground upset, and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Get down off the wagon," he said, "we're only taking what we can carry."

Talo's mother looked at her husband surprised and scoffed.

"Are you serious?" she demanded.

Instead of answering her, Talo's father began gathering things in his arms and handing them to his son.

"Take these," he directed Talo.

When the father and son duo had their satchels full, Talo's father directed his son towards the exit. Talo's mother's mouth dropped.

"I can't believe it!" she exclaimed upset.

The two men walked past Colin towards the impasse. Colin glanced between the divided family members and realized one person was still missing.

Where is Malo?he wondered.

Talo's mother was still staring after her son and husband, when she finally jumped down off the wagon.

"Okay, okay," she said quickly, "you win! Just help me with the distiller."

Talo and his father turned to look at his mother like she was crazy. The distiller was the biggest item on the wagon.

"We're not taking that," Talo's father said firm.

Talo's mother sighed and digressed, knowing at this point it would be futile for her to keep on arguing. She filled her kneading bag with necessities and begrudgingly let the matter go. When she was situated, Malo finally decided to show up from within their home.

Colin crossed his arms over his chest when he caught sight of him.

"Where have you been?" he asked him.

Malo shrugged with a slick smile. "I knew what my mother wanted to do," he confessed. "There was no way I was going to be any part of it. I'm a business man, I need my back muscles."

Colin shook his head and couldn't help but grin. Malo was one in a million, and he was only thirteen. Colin could only imagine how he would be at eighteen.

The kid is going to turn into a loan shark,Colin thought concerned.

"Well said," Colin said sarcastically, "we don't have time to dawdle, we need to get out of here."

Malo nodded.

"I'm way ahead of you," he said pointing to his provision sack, "anything else we need we can get from Malo Mart."

Colin raised a brow.

"We won't have access to Castle Town once we get to Hyrule," he explained, "we're staying in the keep until further notice."

Malo was not happy with that news.

"Are you serious?" he demanded.

You knew about this hours ago,Colin thought.

"Let's go," he said to Malo, choosing to ignore his question.

There were too many important things to do than worry about things that were already worked out. Talo and Malo's family were finally cleared out of the village and into the impasse with everyone else. Colin's father, Rusl, was taking the lead.

"Is everyone here?" Rusl asked. "Once we leave we can't afford to come back."

Everyone looked around at each other and the whole village was accounted for.

"Everyone's here father," Colin called to him from the back.

Rusl nodded and turned around. "Let's be off," he said.

With that, Colin mounted his horse and the group of villagers headed for Hyrule Castle.

Beth turned on her wagon to make eye contact with Colin after they set off. She smiled when she saw him. Colin smiled back, grateful he had taken Miss Elga's advice and told Beth how he felt about her. It turned out she felt the same way, and was only acting so flirty with Link to get him to notice her.

It was just as Miss Elga said,Colin thought,I wonder if she'll be in the keep with us? I remember her telling me she was from Dragon Roost province. I wonder if she went back home after her business with Master Link. She might be in the keep... the queen's edict stated Link was with her,he went on,I certainly hope so, I miss her terribly and need to thank her for encouraging me to be more emboldened with Beth.

With Elga in mind it was almost as if Ilia and Colin were on the same wavelength, because soon after, she brought up Link.

"Do you think Link's alright going with the queen Beth?" she asked her friend worried. "He's been gone for so long and it feels like he's never coming home. Why haven't we heard from him? Why does he make us worry so much?"

Beth took Ilia's hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

"I'm sure he's fine," she reassured, "the queen wouldn't enlist his help if he was incapacitated. He is the great hero after all. If he could survive Ganondorf, he could protect her majesty."

Ilia tried to be comforted with her points.

"I suppose you're right," she said, then added, "I just wish he wasn't so reckless."

Beth nodded and grinned.

"He is a little on the flighty side," she agreed, "I wonder why that is."

Ilia looked down and blushed for some reason.

"That's... that's just his nature," she said quietly.

Beth knew Link meant a great deal to Ilia, and that she completely in love with him. To comfort her friend, she draped her arm around Ilia's shoulders and held her close.

"He'll come back to you one day," she whispered in her ear,"you must believe that, you'll see." be there waiting for you."

Tears filled Ilia's eyes and she just nodded in agreement at her friend's words. It must have been very hard for her given Link's distance. Colin watched from the rear and said nothing. He knew that Ilia was probably clinging to a false hope if what was to be considered a 'thing' between Link and Elga at the festival. It was quite obvious Link had an interest in Miss Elga and if Ilia couldn't see it she was setting herself up for greater disappointment. Colin turned his attention from matters of the heart to matters of the present, while his father rode to the front taking command from there. Colin had his sword ready just in case any bandits tried to attack the small caravan. However, as they were soon were all about to learn, bandits would be the least of their problems as the group advanced on. When the group finally got underway and began to leave Ordon, something strange and mysterious happened. A black cloud of mist suddenly blew overhead and substantiated on the other side of the bridge. Rusle immediately rose his hand to halt the group when the cloud completely obstructed their view.

Colin looked up in puzzlement at he black mist.

"What in Hylia's name?" Rusl whispered before anyone spoke.

He took the words right out of Colin's mouth.

"What is that?" Malo added in the back.

Talo shook his head.

"I have no idea," his brother responded.

Colin preempted his father's command and got off his horse to make his way to the front of the caravan where his father was.

Rusl didn't approve of the action.

"Go back to the rear and guard," he instructed, "we have no idea what may be happening."

Colin didn't budge.

"Father I think I can better assist you here," he replied.

Before Rusl could argue, the cloud rotated and took the shape of a ball. Rusl held up his arms to keep his son behind him.

"What in the world is going on?" Rusl whispered to himself.

Colin swallowed hard while he looked from the cloud to his father.

I was just thinking the same thing father, he thought.

I was thinking the same exact thing.