Chapter 32: Home?

A Chapter by Vertigo Cat1111

Link and Midna's next stop must be somewhere more nervewracking than the last... Link must return to Ordon- with Midna by his side.

Using her magic, she'd been able to warp Link and her a little closer to Ordon, considering how long it'd take to get there. Fresh air swarmed around them, which was a bit nippy, but not cold. As Link and Midna walked, it only took a few hours for everything to start to look more like Ordon and everything was either woodsy or a green field. They made their way through a spread of trees. As they climbed a rather tall hill, Link thought he could see the towers that were in the heart of Castle Town.

He smiled gently, and could now definitely see they were drawing to Hyrule. A thought crossed his mind, of how he and Rusl must be the only Ordons to leave home, and go across Hyrule. He suddenly felt nervous though. The air around here felt tense, and this suddenly felt more disturbing then he'd realized. Was his original homeland alright?

Determination surged within his heart, and he clenched his fists, looking on.

Who would live?

But at the moment, neither of the heroes could do anything to decipher that, brooding sadly. Staring at the path that stretched to Castle Town, his best bet was to keep heading there. The ground was becoming more grass then rocks.

For a small moment, the thought of Ilia's disappointed face and seeing Midna made him tired, wanting to sleep forever- but as Midna had said, this was about Hyrule and Stormsky now- and everyone else.

"It's a lot closer then I thought," Midna said abruptly, as the wind whipped their clothes and hair around. "I don't think it's time to rest yet- let's see how much further we can go, I suppose. I know you're exhausted though. I am too."

She was right. For some odd purpose, he didn't know, he was more tired and sore today than any of the others.

"Maybe we need to be more sneaky from now on," Link frowned. Midna turned to him, confused. "Why?"

"I- I don't know," he said, unsure how to voice his concerns, but then realized he was talking to Midna, his best friend. "Something just doesn't feel right."

Concerned, she put a hand on his shoulder, which she convinced herself wasn't too lovey of her. "It'll be okay. I mean, just look at the stormy clouds! Aren't they beautiful, calming?" she tried to calm him. "It's great here, isn't it?

But it was utterly hard to remain indifferent. Midna was stressed too, but she knew Link needed her more then she needed him.

Or did he?

She tried to pull herself from sadness and worry but laughing. "The storm clouds are so fetching today."

Link's ears twitched. When had she said that before? It sounded utterly familiar, nostalgic, basically.

He shook loose of the words hold and stared at what seemed to be the castle. "They're beautiful," he replied, not quite talking about the clouds. She could tell, blushing.

They went ahead, onwards.

As they marched onwards, the way the trees were, had demanded they go left. They were too dense to keep going straight, so they swerved. "Look," Midna said, "if these trees remind me of anything, it's southern Hyrule."

Link's heart leaped, and he had to agree. It may sound weird to recognize a tree, but he knew Ordons shrubs by heart. Midna only smiled gently at him, but worry shook her up. Would Link miss it so much, that he would return?

And leave her behind? No, that couldn't happen. He looked for her, and fixed the Mirror, just to see her again, and another reminder came in her head, that she tried not to remember, it made her feel weak, and... light-headed. Truth was, he loved her.

"Um, Midna?" Link suddenly spoke up. She perked. "Yes, Link?" she replied gently. "There's something I have to tell you before we get there." he swallowed nervously, and this is when Midna's heart began to pound also. "Yeah...?" she shyly asked, unsure if she just wanted to tell him 'Nah, that's fine.'

Midna kept pacing, but Link reached out, behind her. "Wait, Midna."

She turned around to him, but he quickly looked away shyly. This nervous behavior played on her fears- why stop? He was never usually this solemn for so long. Was he really something else on his mind? Was it what she was scared of?

"There's... something you should know before we get there," he chuckled nervously, and Midna almost did too. "Do-" he stuttered, then paused for a moment. He looked back up at her slowly. "Yes, Link?" she asked, worry making her agitated.

"Do you remember Ilia?" He said. Oh. Midna's heart sunk.

"Do you remember what everyone always said about us?" he said, and Midna realized this was just getting worse and worse. But Link courageously continued to look her in the eye. "Well, before I came to find you again... She ended up telling me, she did love me. Right before I left."

Midna gasped, inaudibly and nearly choked. He now stared past her into the fields, and the mood changed, tension twisting around and growing, rather than staying there, in Midna's confused mind.

"Well... I had to tell her I didn't feel the same way. She didn't take it well... so I don't know how she is now."

They're eyes met and Midna could truly see he didn't love Ilia. The farmgirl. He did not shield that, did not shield his love for the woman in front of him, rather than behind him.

"Took it... bad?" Midna asked. She suddenly felt bad for her past hatred for the woman.

Maybe the only thing she was guilty of, was falling for the same charms, she herself, fell for.

Link heard a slight intake of breath from Midna. She seemed tentative. Afraid. There was a twinkling in her eyes that this time did not indicate mischief. It showed jealousy, but trust at the same time. Love.

She moved closer and stared in his eyes. The taller woman suddenly seemed so fragile. She looked straight into Link's eyes, the distance between them disappearing suddenly, and Link couldn't remember where he was at.

"You'll stay with me won't you?"

Link smiled and held her hand tightly, squeezing it. "Midna, I love only you. You don't have to doubt that. You never have to doubt that."

Her entire body turned warm and she grinned. It was all the reassurance she needed. Maybe she'd changed... and in this moment she didn't care.

Link would not leave her. Midna would not leave him. And though it was still insane to them, their change in feelings for each other, they knew they trusted one another. It was comforting.

She'd give everything to see him smile, trade everything she had.

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