Chapter 23: Married A Robber

Ilia misses Link dearly, but won't let herself feel the pain, and bottles it up into pure anger towards Link. It may just swallow her whole.

Ilia sat upon a bench in Ordon. Her moist eyes looked from the floor up the children running towards her. Colin laughed and hugged Ilia's knee as Talo chased him. Beth watched disapprovingly with Malo, tapping her foot. 

"Ilia!" Colin screamed and giggled. "Don't let him!" He looked up at her. She merely smiled weakly at him. The blonde boy suddenly realizes what she must be thinking at that moment. He looked away for a moment, to gather his nerve, trying to figure out how not to sob, when he remembered who was gone.

Seeing her sit there, so hurt and confused and tortured... broke his heart more then anyone's should be, he believed.

He immediately wanted to tell her that it'd be okay, he'd come home. When Ilia had explained the situation to Ordon, she pretended it'd been fine, but Colin had seen the honest hurt in her eyes.

He stared up at her painfully, but he could only remain silent, and could not soothe Ilia's aching heart, which made it all the more difficult.

"C'mon, Talo. Let's go. He's not worth it," Beth scoffed rolling her eyes. "Man!" Talo yelled as Beth dragged him off. "You're never cheating again! Do you hear me? This is the last tiiiime!"

But Colin was anything but engulfed in their little game now, or could he care about being accused as a cheater. Ilia's dull expression reminded him of the aching in his heart also.

The blonde boy looked back up at her, and when he saw her expression again, it panged like a fresh stab. Her eyes were possibly watering with tears when he felt his own come into view. She smiled down kindly, and gently at him, and patted his hair, and it felt for a moment, everything would be okay.

Colin was confused as to what to say. Everything had been said before. He wanted Link to come home, and be with them. Just as much she did- but he couldn't help feeling happy, that Link was happy himself- somewhere...

"Ilia," Colin breathed, shakily, standing up now. As he was standing, and she was sitting, they were face to face. A burst of desperation and pain shot through him, as he began to choke. "Don't cry, Ilia! It'll be okay!" He said, remembering what he had said to a sobbing Beth so long ago. He placed a hand on Ilia's arm, who was wide-eyed, worried-looking. Then he realized she may not be the one crying. He swallowed a deep breath, trying desperately not to break. His lip quivered and he began to shake. "Link will come home to us all!" He shouted.

Then he broke down sobbing and instinctively reached out for Ilia. She held him in his hug, and he inwardly kicked himself. He was supposed to be comforting HER! Not the other way around! He'd never be like Link! 

Here was, sobbing, like a baby! Just like what Talo always said...

"Oh, Colin, it's okay..." She said, running her delicate fingers through the young boy's hair. "It'll be okay... I promise... Okay?"

His chin wavered and he nodded, as she placed a finger under his chin, after what felt like forever, and brought his face to hers.

"But... but, I know you miss him, Ilia!" Colin cried, squeezing tighter to her. Ilia stammered for a moment, as she remembered the things Link had told her. "I'm sorry Ilia... I'm sorry... I love you... I always will."

Had that been true? And if it was... Why'd he leave?

No, no... She shook it off. She had no right to be angry at Link. He was merely living his life as any person had a right to... But she told herself that so often... Why was she still hurt...? Angry?

She shouldn't be. 

Link had told Ilia he'd been going to Hyrule, to adventure like Rusl... but deep down, even though she kept quiet, there was something else. Link was depressed, and then anxious to leave.

It made her jealous.

Somehow, she still couldn't believe Link had left the kids behind, even if he could ditch her. Did he not know how heartbroken Colin would be? And the others, because she knew they were hurt as well, even if they were hiding it. A tear pinched at her eye, and she blinked it away.

"Colin... I know. It's okay. Link will come back. He promised me. He said, 'One Day.'"

Colin nodded, but his lower lip quivered and his eyes watered. "Yeah, but... I want him here... NOW, Ilia... I miss him... I just wish he was here."

That's all he wanted. It hurt him in the very pit of his heart, and Ilia knew it was unfair someone so young should be put through this... In fact, no one should feel this.

"Sometimes, in life... well, a lot... things hurt. But it just makes the simple happy times better... You know?" she smiled at him. Honestly, she wasn't sure what she was talking about herself, but she knew it was supposed to make him feel better, because Uli had told her. And yes, it should probably be Bo comforting her, but he was confused and fell for Ilia's fake cascade of smiles. 

But even when Uli tried to speak about it, Ilia shook it off, and only the smartest of the town knew Ilia was torn apart.

Shaking her head, realizing her face was blushing, she smiled at Colin. "It's okay. The entire town isn't lonely. You're not lonely. I'm your best friend too, okay?"

Colin nodded, but his blue eyes didn't meet hers. Ilia realized at that moment, she could never be Colin's real best friend.

She used her thumb (as Link did) to wipe Colins tears away and smiled gently at him. "Don't be sad, just think of Link having a..." her eyes darted to the side, and she thought, a goofy smile plastered on her face, "a mini-vacation," she said, nodding her head. 

When she looked back at him, he was grinning. "Okay... I just don't like you to be sad... It makes me really sad."

Ilia shook her head vigorously. "I'm not sad. I promise you. I'm happy Link is happy... I just miss him sometimes you know?"

"Okay," Colin nodded, then seemed to be thinking heavily. "But... Okay, I'm gonna go make sure Talo knows I'm not cheating... are you okay?"

Ilia nodded, scoffing confidently. "Oh, of course! I'm gonna do some laundry. Just make sure you don't get hurt, okay?"

Colin laughed, and got off Ilia, then ran off, much too soon. Ilia felt tears form in her eyes but blinked them away, when Colin came back around the corner and gave her a big hug. She giggled, and hugged him tightly, back. "Don't be sad," she said in a low voice. "Link will be home soon."

"Yeah!" Colin enthusiastically said. "One day!"

After a moment, he let go, waved, and made a turn down to Talo, Beth, and Malo.

She cleared her throat, and got up, and began to dunk her clothes in water, drizzling some soap.

...

But there was content in the fact that the town was okay, even if they did miss Link. 

At least much more okay then her. And what just happened with Colin reminded her she needs to be a little stronger, and not show that sadness so much. 

Sadness? Could it really be accounted as that? It was something more of-

No, heartbreak still didn't cover it. Even as Link had ridden off, she thought it'd get better. So far it hadn't but she was a lot better at not crying in front of everyone like a little girl.

She just didn't feel good enough.

Would she ever forget?

And was it her fault?

-----

Ilia stared down at a pile of letters, and was unsure about opening one from... him. But his letters were always rather sweet. And that made her heart hurt more, even though some words soothed it.

But why did he have to even send them anyway? There was nothing between them... Not even a friendship any longer...

Well, maybe she was exaggerating, but she tore it open anyway. 

Her eyes scanned it, and she immidieately regretted opening it.

'Dear Ilia,

Hi Ilia... How's the winter going? I know it can be hard when the pumpkins freeze over and Jaggle gets upset.  

Again, I'm sorry for leaving. You have to understand, and the kids too... I hope it's okay.

But it's all that I know now.

I know you haven't responded, but I do miss you. I met a yeti, and you would've really liked him. His name is Harold.

He was a huge cuddle bug. 

But you have every right to be upset at me, and to not answer my letters. But I would really like to know your at least okay.

Your dearest, Link.'

Ilia slammed the letter down and frowned. She also had the right for him to worry over her, stress over it, and maybe send himself back home-

No way, she was being too vicious. And Link was wrong. She couldn't be upset at him! She had no right to. It was ridiculous. 

She was just being a brat, and Ordon Village knew it too. Well, if they knew she was heartbroken, anyway.

Sighing, she walked outside, and immidietaly a burst of cold chill hit her, blowing through then past her. Shivering, she wrapped her arms around herself, and grabbed a furry white coat hanging by the door, before stepping outside and shutting the door.

Shuffling past her home, she had not even gone forward two steps, when she saw Jaggle yelling and kicking some apparently frozen over pumpkins. It would be a cold winter, if they were already this frozen over so early on. 

Ilia went towards the struggling man. "Hey... Jaggle..." she said shyly, "do you need any help?"

He kicked once again. "Nah, Ilia," he said, then turned to her. "I got this. I- it's just barely winter, how they already so frozen over?" he pondered, and the woman wondered if it was a rhetorical question.

"I," Ilia began, but then frozen when she heard Fado whooping and cheering echoing from his barn. She sighed. How could they all have forgotten about Link? Did they really feel he had that little of an impact on their lives? Not to mention Rusl had left recently. No one asked why. It was just what was happening.

She couldn't help but feel the building up energy, but she was so down, she couldn't jump in. 

'The winters are hard here, but we're doing fine on our own

I get it, it's "all that you know"'

"Well, remember what we did last year? And the year before?" Ilia asked the older man gently. He stared off for a moment, thinking. "Hmm..." he began. Ilia didn't mention they had also done it the year before, and before, and before- but somehow Jaggle always forgot.

It was a small joke between all the villagers.

"OH!" He shouted, and then ran off presumably to get a bucket of water, and she smiled after him and then turned away. 

She wasn't sure where she was going at first, but when the spotted all of the children, she went to them? What were they doing? It all looked very curious.

As she approached them, they hid what seemed to be a plethora of sticks and sacks behind them. And there were sketches in the dirt they sat around. Beth rubbed her hands in it to destroy it, then looked at her hands in disgust. 

Malo whispered urgently to Talo. "She's coming!"

Colin looked up at Ilia and grinned, and it all seemed so fake. She giggled at them. "H-hi. What're you guys doing?" she asked curiously, leaning her head over to see the items they had seemingly gathered. But Colin scooted over to block them. 

"Oh, just playing- Raid," he grinned, with his shiny teeth.

Ilia smiled at him. Raid? It was an old game they used to play, practically every day. They'd raid someone's house playfully, and the adults would have to figure out who would be raided next. It was simple, yet sometimes even confusing. But once they got a little older, they moved on.

She was a bit surprised they were playing it.

"Oh... really?"

She supposed it made sense because they were making a map, but Rusl had told them not to use sticks, and just dull swords he'd made for them, so they'd feel more 'professional.' And what were those sacks filled with?

"Hm mm," Talo said, and he sounded anxious. Ilia tilted his head at them, and there was a moment of silence, and they said and did nothing.

Suppose she was bothering them? Well, she'd go now.

"Well, I'll be going, but Colin- are you doing alright?" She asked. Colin looked back up at her and nodded. "Everything is great! And normal!"

Ilia smiled at him and walked off, and they began to chatter quietly again.

...

...

How had they all moved on so damn fast?

Her heart felt as if it began to quiver, and she wanted to run back home, and as she hurried back, her eyes began to water and she hurried back to her room.

------

Well, this was quite the predicament. She was sobbing in her bed again. It was some sort of angry sob, and she felt so, so angry. But she wouldn't let her self be truly angry. So it all came out in tears, yet it was still all built up inside her heavy self.

They were having a campfire outside, and her father had invited her out, but she declined saying she was busy, all the while hiding her cry-tired voice all very well.

Sighing, she rolled over in bed and stared at the darkness.

By now... she knew she was angry honestly. She just- needed to let it out. But she was still guilty about feeling angry. Link was out having fun, living his best life all the while he was tearing his 'best friends' heart out.

And though she knew he had the right to do what he wanted- did she not have a right to boil and be infuriated at him. She never thought it'd come to this. Damn.

Maybe she asked for this by being such a weak person. But n0- she was underestimated!

Rolling out of bed, she knew what to do.

'And I'll always love you.'

He'd always be apart of her. Her very first best friend. She loved him dearly and he held a special place in her heart. She trudged past the bonfire where no one saw her and snuck up the hill to Link's house.

'And I'll leave the lights on.'

He'd always be welcome to see her in open arms, and nothing could ever change that. Making it up the hill, she stared up at Link's house. She loved him. But was mad at him.

But he made a promise.

'This isn't goodbye... it's 'see you later...''

'And you...'

 She knew there would probably many more tears but...

"But, Link..." she said as he smiled at her, petting her head gently. "Can you at least promise me this? No matter what happens on your search, don't give up. Please. Just find what you're looking for and be safe..." she gave him a comforting smile, the one he had given so much but never gotten as much. "One day?"

"One day," he whispered, wiping away her tears, with a nod.'''

One day.

He made a promise.

Staring up at his home, and to the place he exited their chance for anything in the future, she let herself still love him. And hate him. If not come home for her, he better come for the children and the people who raised them. He had that much to be thankful for.

His promise was one day to come home.

He'd be damned if he broke it.

'And you...

You better come home.'

Author's Note

This chapter has a song in it, and the song is from the very underrated, Steph Barrak, called 'Married A Robber.' This is one of my favorite chapters because I loved fleshing out Ilia's character more. You'll rarely hear me complain about Twilight Princess, but Ilia was a pretty bland character. You should check out the song too! All rights go to her and Nintendo, besides my own characters!