To Capture the Heart of a Hero

Chapter 69 – Fracture

A few weeks had passed since the Princess rescued Ordon from their food shortage. To everyone's immense relief, things had quickly quieted down and their way of life returned to normalcy. No more famine. No more isolation. No more fear of wondering if the next day might be their last. And it was all thanks to the wonderfully compassionate Princess who watched over them.

Upon departing, Zelda had graciously left behind numerous wagons full of provisions. There was enough food to easily sustain the villagers through the rest of the season, and even the start of spring too. And the most astounding part? Zelda insisted that it was all a gift, never to be paid back in any fashion. The villagers simply reeled from her kindness and generosity. They humbly offered her funds or possessions in return for her favors, but she naturally refused them all. She insisted that if their debt must be paid, that they pay it forward onto others when the time came. She even suggested donating a portion of their future harvests to the less fortunate in Castle Town and Kakariko Village.

In the end, the people of Ordon bowed their heads and promised they would.

Link also managed to pull the Princess aside before she departed, hoping to express his own gratitude for her actions. However, once he had her alone, he found himself speechless. He simply froze stiff beneath that sapphire gaze of hers.

It wasn't until she tilted her head to the side, calling his name and appearing slightly concerned, that he found the courage to act. He pulled her into a warm hug, holding her close as if he never wished to let go.

"Thank you," he had said. "For everything."

He eventually pulled away, only to find her looking stunned and a little flustered, but she graced him with her beautiful smile all the same. "Of course, Link. I'll always be here for you."

Her words were so kind, and so sincere, that even after weeks, Link still found himself dwelling on them. Still found himself enraptured by them. Zelda was not only an incredible person, she was also an incredible friend. And Link felt so blessed for knowing her.

The winter continued to bring heavy snowfall, although the storms appeared with less frequency than they did at the beginning of the season. Since the villagers no longer had to worry about food, they were free to focus on other tasks. Most of the men dedicated their time to clearing the roads of snow in order to prevent another avalanche from taking place. Meanwhile, Link resumed his daily hunting, but it was a much more casual experience compared to before. Alone in the woods, without the threat of starvation hanging over him, Link managed to find peace. And whenever he found himself in a particularly tranquil grove, he would always take a moment to stop and bow his head, offering prayers of gratitude to the Goddesses above.

He would never forget their miracle.

And so things continued, until a day finally arrived where an old wagon pulled into town. The villagers recognized it at once, and everyone quickly set aside what they were doing so they could rush over to greet the new arrivals. Rusl was the first to dismount, hugging and kissing his wife before saluting the others. The back of the wagon soon opened up, and Ilia stepped out, offering a hand to Bo who hobbled behind her. His injured leg was still bandaged from bottom to top, but he produced a proud grin all the same.

"I'm back," he announced.

The villagers swarmed their mayor, patting his arms and back and welcoming him home. Bo simply chuckled, swaying on his good leg while Ilia tried to tell everyone to settle down. The last thing her father needed was to suffer another injury just from being overwhelmed. But it was no use. The villagers were far too raucous and rowdy to heed her warnings, and it certainly didn't help that Bo was encouraging them with his own excessive enthusiasm.

At one point, she glanced over and Link managed to catch her eyes. She greeted him with a small smile before turning her attention back to the crowd. She ordered them to escort Bo back to their home so he could sit and get some proper rest. The villagers happily obliged, ferrying their damaged leader into the warmth of his house, where they could continue to celebrate his return in earnest.

As the noise droned off into the distance, Ilia sighed a bit before running to Link and crashing into his arms. She clung to him tightly, and he soon returned the favor.

"Hey," she spoke into his chest.

"Hey," he replied.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too."

Ilia soon pulled back, looking at Link with her beautiful eyes of green. The Hero took a moment to appreciate them. To appreciate all of her. It had been nearly two months since they had last seen each other, and it felt so refreshing to finally be reunited.

Link ended up laughing a bit. "You're cold," he noted.

She shivered under his touch before laughing a little herself. "And you're warm."

"Well then it's a good thing you found your way back to me. How about we go to your place and warm up together? It's certain to get toasty in there once everyone settles in."

Ilia smiled, but soon shook her head. "Actually, could we go to your place instead? I feel like you and I have a lot of catching up to do."

As she finished, Link couldn't help but notice her eyes subtly drift over to the wagons parked at the edge of town. The same wagons that the Princess had left for them. He felt himself grow a little curious, but he pushed such thoughts away. He figured he'd get his answers soon enough.

"Sure," he answered. "I'll start a fire and make us some tea."

A short while later, Ilia was seated in front of a cozy fire in Link's den. The Hero took his time concocting a pair of warm beverages while she filled him in on everything that had transpired in Kakariko. Fortunately, their wagon had arrived before the first snowstorm hit, and Renado was able to treat Bo immediately. The Shaman had apparently spent weeks applying certain healing salves to the Mayor's leg, on top of administering various plants and herbs to fight off fever and infection. By the sound of things, it was a rather turbulent experience.

On the bright side, Ilia successfully managed to study under Renado during her time away, and had accumulated a wealth of medical knowledge. The girl couldn't help but grin as she began describing technique after technique, as well as the endless potions and medicines she had learned to mix. And of course, she knew all of this by heart.

Link smiled with pride. She had been away for so long, but it seemed that she had used that time wisely. And while there was still a good deal more for her to learn, the likelihood of Ilia becoming Ordon's first official doctor had just grown exponentially.

"I feel so relieved now," she admitted with a small sigh. "Should someone ever suffer a serious injury like my father's, we won't need to seek outside help. I'll be able to treat it myself, right here in Ordon."

"That's wonderful, Ilia," Link complimented her. "I'm sure that people will be turning to you for medical help before long."

"I hope so," she agreed. She then laughed a little. "Although, I really hope that no one gets hurt in the first place."

Link laughed as well before finishing his brew. He soon handed her a cup and sat down opposite of her so he could warm himself by the fire too. Ilia thanked him before taking a sip, but she ended up frowning and lowering her cup.

"This isn't Ordonian tea," she said in mild surprise.

Link shook his head. "No, we ran out. This is a different brand that's common in Castle Town."

Ilia smirked. "Reminds me of the stuff that Telma serves."

"It's the very same," he replied, enjoying the taste that had long since grown on him. "So Bo's all right then?"

"Yes, he's actually been in recovery for weeks now. We had to wait for the weather to calm down before we could make the trip home. But now that we're here, father just needs to take it easy for a while. Renado said that his leg should be fully healed come spring."

"Thank goodness," Link said with a smile. "I don't know what we'd do without him around. I doubt that Ordon would ever feel the same."

She nodded her agreement, but soon frowned. "Well, you had to manage well enough without us for a few months. Tell me, how did it go?"

Link's expression soured as well. He decided to hide behind his cup as he took another sip. He had not been looking forward to this conversation, although he knew it needed to be held.

"We heard rumors," Ilia continued. "They said that Ordon was short on food and the road was blocked by snow."

"The rumors were right," Link confessed. "It was awful, Ilia. Perhaps the worst and most terrifying winter we've ever experienced. The weather has been so unforgiving. It killed our crops. Forced all of the fish and animals into hiding. I swear, each storm felt like another nail in our collective coffin. We were honestly on the verge of starvation."

Ilia gasped, her eyes going wide. "It…It was that bad?"

He nodded solemnly. "Our food supply ran dry. The wolves returned and stole a few goats. We had to scavenge for resources just to get by. And even then, we were teetering on destruction…"

"Stop it," she insisted, shaking her head. "Surely you're exaggerating."

He shook his head back before staring directly into her eyes. He was completely serious. "Ask anyone, Ilia. It was miserable."

"Oh my goodness," she said quietly. "I'm…so sorry to hear that, Link. It makes my father's recovery in Kakariko sound trivial by comparison."

"It's okay," he said, returning to his tea. "We held out until help arrived."

"Ah, the Princess," Ilia realized with raised eyebrows. "We heard rumors about that too. That she visited our town."

"She did more than that. She saved us from starvation. She organized the clearing of the roads and arrived with countless wagons just to feed us. She was, quite literally, a lifesaver."

"Hmm," Ilia hummed, turning to glance into the fire. She seemed distracted for a moment, as if lost in thought, but she eventually smiled. "Well, I suppose we ought to be thankful to her."

"Oh, I am," Link stressed. "I'll be eternally grateful for what she did. Without her help, there's a good chance that you might not have had a village to come back to."

Ilia flat-out frowned at this, and soon turned to Link with eyes that almost appeared…disappointed? "I'm sure that's not true," she argued. "I know you, Link. You would have done whatever it took to ensure the safety of this village, with or without the Princess's help."

Link shook his head, suddenly feeling his own sense of disappointment rise up from within. The countless weeks of shame and guilt that, even now, still weighed on him. "You're wrong. I didn't do a damn thing."

Ilia blinked, surprised at this comment, as well as his language. Link rarely ever cursed. "Wh-What do you mean? You promised that you would stay here and look after everyone in our absence, didn't you?"

"I did, but it was useless," Link muttered. "I tried to save the crops, but they died anyway. I tried to hunt for food, but found nothing. I tried to save the missing goats, but the wolves had already slaughtered them. It felt like I was constantly banging my head against a wall, accomplishing nothing."

By this point, Ilia's expression turned grim. She could barely believe what she was hearing. "You…You're lying. I know you, Link, and I know what you're capable of. I know that you watched over this village and kept everyone safe and fed for as long as you could. And that has to count for something."

"Not in the end," Link insisted. "In the end, we were on our last legs, doomed to die. And I was useless. I had to learn the hard way that no one can battle a storm. Not alone, at least."

Ilia bit her lip for a moment. "You've battled forces that are as fierce as storms and that's never stopped you before."

Link scowled, frustrated with how she had completely missed his point. "There's a time to fight and a time to retreat. I chose to fight with all I had and it nearly killed us. It was such a foolish decision… Probably the worst I could have made."

"That's not true," Ilia tried to argue, sounding defensive. "Link, you were needed here. I needed you here."

But the Hero shook his head. "Ilia, if I'm being completely honest, I wish I had never forced myself to stay here. If I had any wits at all, I should have run to ask for Zelda's help at the first sign of trouble. Then none of us would have had to suffer."

The room fell silent, save for the soft crackling of the fire in the background. Ilia turned away again, furrowing her brow as she stared deep into the flames.

"So…you just wanted to do what you always do," she said, her voice as quiet as a mouse, yet as cold as ice. "Run off to her side."

Link blinked, his eyes growing round and large. "Wh-What?"

"You heard me," she said, just as softly as before. "It's what you always do, isn't it? Abandon this village so you can run off to be with the Princess. So you can do her bidding and win her affection."

"Do her bidding?" Link repeated, feeling his voice rise. "Win her affection?"

Ilia refused to look at him. Her eyes were fixed on the blaze in the hearth. "How else would you describe it? Always putting yourself in danger for her. Following her every command. Sacrificing yourself for her. Why, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that she's using you."

"Using me!?" Link exclaimed, hardly believing his ears. "Ilia, what are you talking about? Zelda and I are friends. Of course I listen to her commands and aid her wherever possible. I want to do that. How can I not, after everything she's done? Not only for me, but for our village too?"

Ilia scowled some more, her voice dropping even lower. "Did she really do that?"

"What?" Link demanded.

"Did she save this village?"

"Yes, haven't I stressed this enough? I couldn't do a thing to help our village. But Zelda did."

"Truly?" Ilia challenged him. It was here that she faced the Hero, her eyes now burning bright like the fire they had been boring into. "Did she truly save everyone's lives, or did she just command someone else to do it for her?"

Link froze. He hadn't expected such a question, let alone for it to sound so rude and accusatory. "Well, of course, she brought help but-"

"Aha," the girl interrupted him. "That's exactly it. Everyone follows her. Everyone dances to her tune. But that's to be expected, isn't it? It's simply the life she leads, being royalty and all. It must be nice, never having to work for anything a day in your life, and then be celebrated for it at every conceivable moment."

Were it capable of doing so, Link's jaw surely would have hit the floor. He sat there, gasping in utter shock for a moment before he felt a protective flame ignite within him. "Ilia," he breathed. "I can't believe you. How can you make such heartless comments? Where is all of this hostility coming from?"

Ilia's expression softened a touch, as if she only just now realized what she had said. She did not, however, appear the least bit regretful. "It's not hostility," she stated quietly. "I'm only saying that she's not as amazing as you think she is, Link. And you don't have to defend every decision she makes. Especially when all she does is place you in peril."

Link took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. In the back of his mind, he recalled that Ilia had always been less than thrilled whenever it came to Link fulfilling his duties as a Hero. And she was especially distraught whenever he wound up getting hurt.

"Is that what this is all about?" he asked, becoming just as quiet as she. "You're upset with me, so you're taking it out on her?"

Ilia furrowed her brow again, appearing incredibly displeased. "That's not what's happening at all."

"Oh really?" Link challenged her. "It seems like all of your issues can be traced back to one particular source."

"You're wrong," Ilia insisted. Her bottom lip quivered for a moment before she fixed him with a glare. "I'll admit that I don't like how she uses you, but…it's more than that too. There's been rumors, Link. These awful, horrible rumors going around about what the Princess has planned moving forward. They say that she wants to introduce the Bulblins to Hyrule. Bulblins, Link. Can you believe that?"

For the second time that day, Link felt himself freeze stiff. When it came to making peace with the green-skinned race, this was everything he had feared. How the general populace would react to such news…

And yet, all the same, Link gladly chose to speak in defense of his Princess. "And what's wrong with that?"

This time, it was Ilia's turn to gawk. She stared at her partner, appearing absolutely horrified. "So…it's true then?"

Link nodded fearlessly. "I've already pledged my help to her. Zelda intends to make peace with the Bulblins and establish them as Hyrulean citizens."

"Then…Then she is a fool and a traitor to her Kingdom," Ilia replied bitterly. "How could she desire this, after everything her people have been through? After everything we've been through!?"

"She's trying to build a better and brighter future for our Kingdom-"

"By betraying us? By assisting our oppressors? By turning monsters into neighbors?" At this point, Ilia looked genuinely hurt, and her eyes were threatening to tear up. "And you're helping her? Link…have you forgotten so soon what those beasts did to us? They kidnapped us. Kidnapped me. Stole us away and forced us into the Twilight and made me lose my memory, and I…I…"

It was here that she choked, too emotional to continue. Upon hearing the noise, as well as witnessing her grief, Link found himself substituting anger for sympathy.

"Ilia," he whispered, his voice gentle and sweet. He soon stood up, hoping to reach out to her…

But it was too late. Ilia was shaking her head as she also stood and pulled on her coat. She then made for the door, only turning back to reveal a face that was stained with tears. "I…I can't. Not right now. I…I think I'd like to be alone for a while."

And with a shaky breath, she turned and exited the home, letting the wind slam the door shut behind her.

Link simply stood there. His arm still outstretched. Her name lingering on his lips. But eventually he closed fist and jaw alike and turned his gaze to the floor. He clenched his teeth before kicking an old bucket across the room.

"Damn it," he cursed, placing a hand to his temple.

He hated this. Feeling so conflicted. Feeling concerned for Ilia yet protective of Zelda. He didn't understand. Why had such a conflict arisen between two of his closest friends?

Well, on second thought, maybe he could understand. Ilia had always been rather vocal about how little she enjoyed his Hero work. And of course, said Hero work was almost always tied to Zelda and her plans for restoring and improving Hyrule, so he could see why the Princess might have captured the girl's ire.

And then there were the Bulblins to consider, and once again, Link could understand where Ilia was coming from. Those beasts had attacked their home. Kidnapped their children. Stood against the Kingdom's forces during the Twilight Invasion. By all means, they were monsters, brutes, and savages, and Link knew best how difficult it would be for most to forgive their sins.

But to Link, these concerns honestly seemed minor at best. He knew that Zelda would never intentionally place him in danger or wish him harm. Or, heaven forbid, use him for her own benefit. She sought the betterment of Hyrule for the sake of all people, not just herself. And of course, Link wholeheartedly trusted her and everything she believed in, and it was for this reason that he felt no concern about the Bulblins. He reiterated to himself that if anyone could succeed in domesticating those beasts and welcoming them as friends of Hyrule, it would be her.

He wished that Ilia could understand that, the way that he understood it…

The Hero sighed, letting his shoulders fall as he collected the used dishes and placed them in his sink. He spent a few minutes washing them before cleaning up around the rest of his home. The entire time, his mind was lost in thought.

He was happy to have Ilia and the others back home in the village. Truly, he was. He only wished that their reunion hadn't been so…stressful.

A sudden knock at his door jolted the Hero out of his thoughts. He sighed again before dropping whatever was in his hands and going to answer the summons. To his surprise, he found the Postman standing there.

"Greetings, Mr. Link!" he said with a bright smile.

Link managed to smile back. Although, at the same time, he nearly winced once he noticed that the Postman was still wearing his incredibly light outfit. How was he not freezing to death in this weather?

"Letter for you!" the Postman continued. "Courtesy of Hyrule Castle."

"The castle?" Link questioned before taking the letter in hand.

"Yes sir. They insisted it was urgent. Needs addressed immediately."

Link frowned. He hated hearing about matters that were "urgent". He had quickly come to learn that it usually meant that something was seriously wrong.

"I understand," he replied. "Thank you for the swift delivery."

"Anytime!" the Postman said before hopping off the Hero's landing and dashing away. "I'll be making my rounds, so if you have a response to send, please come find me!"

The Hero waved him goodbye before shutting the door. He shivered a bit as he made his way back to his fireplace. He took a seat before tearing the envelope open. Good news or bad news, he hoped that this message could at least take his mind off of his current troubles.

Upon opening the parchment, Link found his name written in a familiar script. It was clearly Zelda's handwriting, but there was something off about it too. The cursive was not nearly as neat as he was accustomed to. In fact, the letters were wavy and sloppy, as if they had been scrawled by a shaky hand, or by someone who was in a rush. Perhaps the reason for this letter truly was urgent. Setting all further reservations aside, Link dove into the message.

Link,

I'm sorry to bother you, especially when you're still occupied with the matters of your village, but I'm afraid that I must summon you to our castle at once. It's my father. His health is…waning. Roswald fears he may not live to see the end of the week.

My father has asked to speak to you. He has things he would like to say, should the worst come to pass. And I…I would also appreciate your company at this time, if you would be so kind as to share it with me.

I pray to see you soon — Zelda.

Link felt his hands fall, the letter loosening in his fingers. He…He couldn't believe this. The King was…dying? What was going on? Had the poison stricken the poor man further? Was Caius finally at the end of his rope? And why did he wish to speak to Link? Was he planning on sharing his…his final words?

But the Hero soon discarded all of these thoughts in an instant. None of that seemed to matter. Not in the face of what he held in his hands, and what it truly communicated to him.

He swallowed as he looked the letter over again. He noticed the scribbled-out words. The splotches of ink that suggested the Princess had taken too long to finish her thought. The palpable fear and sadness that radiated from every sentence. But the thing that truly broke his heart, were the two dried tear stains that rested at the bottom of the page. In an instant, Link realized what this meant.

Zelda was crying. And she needed him.

Casting the letter aside, Link doused his fire and went to fetch his coat. As he pulled it on, he grabbed a spare piece of parchment and scribbled a quick explanation for his absence. He set it on his dining table, hoping that Ilia or someone would find it. He didn't have time to explain in person. He needed to go.

Racing outside, Link saddled Epona before swinging onto her back. The mare seemed surprised at his suddenness, but she understood his intentions perfectly. Matching his urgency, she dashed forward, barreling down the road.

The Hero's eyes narrowed with determination as he set his sights far ahead. He thought of nothing but the castle, and the Princess who dwelled within it.

He would be there for her.

And once again, Link drops everything to rush to Zelda's aid. It really says a lot, doesn't it? ;)

Also, it seems that Link and Ilia's relationship is enduring more stress than ever before. To be honest, with the way I've written things, I feel like Ilia has been Not Too Thrilled with the Princess for a while now, and this is finally all of her growing resentment getting a chance to rear its ugly head. Between the shady rumors, constant praise, and Link being placed in danger all the time, I like to think it's at least a little understandable that Ilia is not too happy with Zelda at the moment. But who knows, maybe she'll come around and see the Princess in a different light…eventually :)