FicWad

Zale led Lila up and up and up one of the gorge walls until they were on top. The climb left her out of breath, but the view was worth it. All of Kakariko Village lay before her. On the other side of the wall, she could see the paths of the mine almost like a map. Veins of red rippled through the mountains, along with layers of brown and yellow. The sun lit up the area with a warm glow Lila hadn't seen in Lady Ganondra's realm.

A respectably sized shop was the only building around. Trinkets sat in the front windows, shielded from the sun by two large, leafy plants. They grew almost like vines up to the flat roof. Large windows lined the rest of the building, allowing patrons to enjoy the view from the inside. A single pole with a target rested at the top.

"What's the target for?" Lila had to ask. Next to swords, bows were her favorite weapon. Lady Ganondra had her trained in both since she was little.

"I'll tell you inside," Zale replied, guiding her to the door. Mori followed the two without a word.

Inside was a lot cooler, much to Lila's relief. A few round tables were scattered around the room, most of them filled. There were also a few chairs and tables against the walls. To the right, a goron stood behind a counter, taking someone's order. When Lila and Zale walked in, he looked up with a smile and a wave. Everyone sitting looked lean and fit.

"This place is pretty popular," Lila commented.

"Yeah, mostly for the view. Come on, we order over here." Zale took her hand and led her to the counter, where they stood behind the other person ordering. Lila's arm tingled at his touch, especially the back of her hand. He didn't let go until they had ordered and sat.

"So, about that target," Lila prompted.

"Right. You know the legend of the Hero of Time?"

"Bits and pieces."

"Did you know he was a great archer?"

Lila perked up. "No, I didn't."

"Once, the Hero came here to Kakariko, a long time ago. Back then, this old building was just a watch tower. A kid challenged the Hero to hit the pole at the top of the tower with his arrow, all the way from the spring in the south. No one thought he could do it."

"Did he hit it?" Lila asked on the edge of her seat.

Zale smiled. "Yup. Hit the pole right in the middle. The kid didn't believe him, so she went up to the tower to look. As the kid was almost to the top, the Hero shot another arrow, which hit right below the first one, just to show her he actually did it himself."

"No way!"

"That's the story," Zale finished, sitting back in his seat.

"Wow," Lila sighed. "I want—"

"You couldn't possibly do it," Mori grumbled.

"Sure I could!" Lila yelled back. The room went quiet for a moment, and she shrunk in her seat. Zale laughed.

"Way to make a scene," he joked.

"Shut up," replied Lila. Her face felt as hot as fire, even though everyone turned back to their food.

Zale said, "There's a huge reward, but no one has been able to do it since. You're probably strong enough. With the right bow and a light wind, I think you could hit the target dead in the center." That made Lila smile a little. Before she could reply, their food arrived courtesy of another goron. "Thanks, brother!"

"Anything for you, Zale-goro." The goron said with a smile. "Are you staying in town longer, goro? I didn't think you'd be coming in this morning."

Zale smiled at Lila, who blushed some more. "I might stay longer if I can help it."

The goron gave a hearty laugh. "Oh-ho-ho, I see, goro. Well, enjoy the food, goro!"

Lila glared at Zale as the goron walked away. He dug into his food, so it took him a few seconds to notice.

"What?" he asked, mouth full of the seasoned cuckoo.

"What was that about?"

"What?" Zale asked again.

Mori said, "Yeah. What do you mean you might stay longer?"

Zale put down his utensils. "Well, I was kind of thinking I could help you out, you know, with Volvagia."

Lila's eyes went wide. She shook her head. "Sorry, I think I heard you wrong."

"I'm serious! You know I'm smart, and I know some things about Volvagia. Not much, but some."

Lila shook her head more forcefully. "No way. I know some things about Volvagia, too, and I don't want to have to watch out for you if you get hurt. How would Hyrule feel if they found out something bad happened to you?"

Zale furrowed his brow. "Hey, don't bring that into this. I can handle myself. I don't need protecting."

"I think someone can give an argument on that."

"Yeah, me!"

Lila glared at Mori. "No, not you."

"What, Salvatore? Don't worry about him."

"I'm not," Lila argued, slapping both hands on the table. "I'm worried about you! You might jeopardize the mission!"

Once again, the room was silent. Even the goron behind the counter stopped whatever he was doing to watch the spat.

"Because I'm weak? I can fight my own battles!"

"Obviously, but you can't win this one! You are not coming, and that's final!"

Zale stood up. "Don't treat me like a kid! You know, maybe you're not such a good person after all. I knew you two were up to something."

"What does that mean?"

Zale threw a few rupees on the table. "It means you can take on Volvagia on your own. Eat that food; you'll need your strength." He turned and walked away, still fuming.

"That's it?" Lila shouted after him. "Fine, whatever. I don't need some mamby pamby prince following me around."

Zale stopped in his tracks and spun around on his heels. "What did you call me?"

Realizing her mistake, Lila's face went white. "A... a..." Her expression hardened. "I said you're a mamby pamby priss! What did you think I said? That you're a prince?" She barked out a laugh. "You're full of yourself." She almost saw the relief on Zale's face, but he was great at hiding it.

"You're the one who's full of yourself if you think you can take on Volvagia. But I don't care. Go fight that dragon, but don't come crawling back to me for bombs. For you, the store is fresh out!" With that, he stormed out of the restaurant.

Lila sank back into her seat, completely winded. She was glad Mori didn't say anything. At first.

"Eat."

She opened her mouth to say she wasn't hungry, but then her stomach grumbled loudly, and her mouth started to water. She grabbed the fork and dug in.

She had to close her eyes to keep from crying.